[September 5, 2015] One hundred and one years ago today French General Joseph Joffre gave the order to attack the advancing German armies that were pushing allied troops westward in a series of defeats early in World War I. Failure would mean the death of thousands, the collapse of military forces resisting the Germans, and the fall of France. The allied governments were giving credit where it’s due when they formally recognized Joffre for his leadership.
There are many habits leaders adopt to ensure the success of their mission. It may seem obvious that leaders who give credit where it’s due are valuable team players. But doing so also provides motivation and validation of those who are doing the real work. Giving credit is an underappreciated leader habit but when leaders don’t give credit, there is reduced innovation, a stifling of collaboration, and limited growth.
The best leaders will take the blame for failures and give credit to others when things succeed. This makes for loyal and dedicated followers. Too many times, I’ve seen senior leaders take credit for things they had no hand in doing. People aren’t stupid and are quick to recognize this type of leader for who they are. Whether a narcissist leader or just one is just plain dumb there is no excuse for not giving credit to others.
Without knowing whether the British forces would join them and without knowing how his army would perform on such a complex maneuver, Joffre nevertheless gambled everything to stop the German armies. Joffre was responsible for the training of the French forces and for the strategy that was successful but he gave credit to bravery of the French and British soldier that made the difference between victory and defeat. He also knew the importance of giving credit where it’s due.
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- Good Habits #1: Never Assume Anything: https://www.theleadermaker.com/good-habits-1-never-assume-anything/
- Good Habits #2: Walk Around and Talk with People: https://www.theleadermaker.com/good-habits-2-walk-around-talk-people/
- Good Habits #3: Read Mission-Related Material: https://www.theleadermaker.com/good-habits-3-read-mission-related-material/
- Good Habits #4: Take the Initiative: https://www.theleadermaker.com/good-habits-4-take-the-initiative/
- Good Habits #5: Effective Use of Time: https://www.theleadermaker.com/good-habits-5-effective-use-of-time/
- Good Habits #6: Show the Human Side: https://www.theleadermaker.com/good-habits-6-show-the-human-side/
- Good Habits #7: Speak Properly: https://www.theleadermaker.com/good-habits-7-speak-properly/
- Good Habits #8: Transparency: https://www.theleadermaker.com/good-habits-8-transparency/
- Good Habits #9: Continuous Learning: https://www.theleadermaker.com/good-habits-9-continuous-learning/
- Good Habits #10: Make No Excuses: https://www.theleadermaker.com/good-habits-10-make-no-excuses/
- Good Habits #11: Thinking Out Loud: https://www.theleadermaker.com/good-habits-11-thinking-out-loud/
- Good Habits #12: Ability to Make Hard Decisions: https://www.theleadermaker.com/good-habits-12-ability-to-make-hard-decisions/
- Good Habits #13: Be Conscientious and Timely: https://www.theleadermaker.com/good-habits-13-be-conscientious-and-timely/
- Good Habits #14: Being Honest and Straight Forward: https://www.theleadermaker.com/good-habits-14-being-honest-and-straight-forward/