Activating the Checklist

 Doing so for many managers is an acquired rather than a natural skill.

Would you have surgery performed by a doctor who routinely failed to confirm that the right patient was in the operating room and the correct procedure was about to be performed?  Or willingly fly with a pilot who regularly failed to check wind speed, flight plan, and all the other essential ingredients for ensuring a successful takeoff?

Obviously not.  Medical centers often require physicians to run through a specific checklist before commencing surgery.  Aviation authorities around the globe require the same of pilots before takeoff.   We take for granted a pilot's thoroughness or a surgeon's, but we too often give ourselves a pass on reviewing an analogous list, or merely have one to check,  even when we are facing moments during which a complete leadership inventory might be essential for sensibly directing or even saving the enterprise.

Even the best checklist has no value unless it is routinely activated to guide a leader's behavior.  Doing so for many managers is an acquired rather than a natural skill.  It has been found that managers fruitfully engage in six learning avenues that help them activate the Leader's checklist on a regular basis:

1. Study leadership moments.
2. Solicit coaching and mentoring.
3. Accept stretch experiences.
4. Conduct after-action reviews of personal leadership moments.
5. Endure extremely stressful leadership moments.
6. Experience the leadership moments of others.

ACTION POINT: Engage in the learning avenues listed to sharpen your leaderships skills.