On Quitting and Changing Direction
Sunday, July 19th, 2009
As we think about Sarah Palin and here choice to resign from the governorship of Alaska, it may appear that she has made a terrible leadership error. On the surface I could believe that. We will not know however, for some time to come.
More importantly, how does a leader make that decision? When does the leader decide that the current situation is absolutely wrong and must extract them self or change the mission completely?
In a July 13 article in The Dallas Morning News titled, “Actions, Inactions Led to Sarah Palin’s Resignation” the reporter relays a statement by Palin. ”There’s no ulterior motive”, she said. She said the lieutenant governor who will succeed her on July 26, Sean Parnell, will pursue “the same agenda as mine - minus the distractions.” For Palin, this comment may be the key.
When in the leadership position, the leader always watches to make certain the mission is the right mission. Circumstances can change enough for a formerly well thought out strategic mission to become the wrong thing to do. In Alaska’s and Palin’s case, there is not clear evidence that the mission is wrong. The second thing that has to be right is for the leader to recognize whether they in their role become so compromised that they are in the way of the mission to the point that it will not be achieved. At that juncture the true leader makes a change, takes them self out of the game and leaves the mission in able hands. It would also be critical that the leader had done all that they could to make certain that there were those within the team who could take over and lead the mission forward.
We always have to check and recheck: is the mission right and is the team and leader right? If circumstances so compromise any of these areas, change is the right thing to do - and what an elite leader does.