Yes, precisely the guiding principle, not the management principle. A guiding principle is not your product, service or even your company’s vision, strategy or mission. They are stories and concepts that you have to put energy into keeping alive, because there is a tension in the story.
The guiding principle is your subconscious and effortless intention behind your behaviour and actions. The guiding principle is the end of your sentence “I am for society…. ” (the sentence ends with a noun). For example, a guiding principle might be to treat in a hospital and a secondary guiding principle might be to care. However, the opposite is true in the case of nursing.
Kindergarten can be a hand-holding for parents, but it can also be a preparation for school.
A leader’s driving force can be a winner or a competitor, but it can also be a bridge that connects people. A leader can be a salesperson, but it can also be a servant.
No guiding principle is wrong, because at a deep level, it is like your intention for the work you do, the business you have created or the professional life you lead. Usually there is one key guiding principle and 2-3 supporting but not contradictory ones.
The above examples are perhaps a good illustration of what we mean when the guiding principle is winner vs. bridge. You need one guiding principle for one team and another for another, but the results and behaviours are different.
Of particular importance is, of course, the guiding principle of the founder of the organisation, i.e. what value the organisation is designed to create. The guiding principle is subconscious, and it is usually the first thing you think of when you finish your work with the sentence “I am for my team …”. or “In my work I am …”.
We talked more about this topic today. Reelika Jeferjeva joins us for the podcast “Leadership without Leadership” in part 131 if you are more interested in the idea of leadership and its profound impact on results and consequences.
