Once upon a time, there was a young professional named Goldilocks. Goldilocks was looking for a new job and wanted to work for a strong leader that would help her learn and grow. The journey would not be an easy one, but Goldilocks knew she had to take her time if she wanted to get it just right. This is the story of Goldilocks and the three leaders she met along the way.
One day, Goldilocks went for a virtual walk through the Internet looking for a new job opportunity. Pretty soon, she came upon a position that seemed interesting to her. She called and set up an interview.
During her interview, Goldilocks met with the director of the division. She quickly realized that this was a very confident director. This director did not seem very interested in hearing what Goldilocks had to say, and instead spent most of the time talking at her instead of with her. When Goldilocks asked the director what they liked best about working for the organization, the director spoke only of personal accomplishments, goals and opportunities. The director seemed to really enjoy self-praise.
When Goldilocks asked the director about their leadership style, the director went on and on about personal virtues, strengths and successes. Goldilocks noticed that the director only used ‘I’ and never used ‘we’, even when discussing the team. Goldilocks found this odd. Weren’t leaders supposed to be inclusive? And weren’t they supposed to put the team before themselves?
Finally, Goldilocks asked the director about what changes were needed to make the team more successful. Suddenly, the director stopped using ‘I’ and switched to using ‘they’. The director never once took any personal responsibility and instead blamed the team for every problem. The director was clear that everything was someone else’s fault.
“This leader is TOO arrogant,” she decided.
So she went for another walk through the Internet looking for another job opportunity. Pretty soon, she came upon a position that seemed interesting to her. She called and set up an interview.
During her interview, Goldilocks met with the director of the division. She quickly realized that this was a very timid director. This director did not seem very confident and instead was self-effacing and self-deprecating. The director kept asking Goldilocks what she thought but would then immediately apologize for asking such a question. This made Goldilocks uncomfortable. How could she believe in a leader that didn’t have any belief in self?
When she asked the director what they liked best about working for the organization, the director spoke of all the people there were to learn from. This was a new position for the director, see, and it was taking a lot of getting used to. The director mentioned that there was a lot of adjustment and many challenges along the way. The director did not seem sure they had what it took. Goldilocks was not so sure either.
When Goldilocks asked the director about their leadership style, the director had trouble answering. The director mentioned some books and trainings but was still trying to find a personal style and approach. The director highlighted some personal struggles with feedback and an aversion to conflict. The director admitted to wishing people could do their jobs without being managed so much and wondered if this promotion was a good idea after all. Goldilocks wondered too.
Finally, Goldilocks asked the director about what changes were needed to make the team more successful. Suddenly, the director began self-criticizing, admitting to being unprepared and not quite ready to lead effectively. At the same time, if the team could simply do their jobs, everything would be a whole lot easier. As it was, there was so much to do and there simply wasn’t enough time to do it on top of managing other people’s jobs too. The director seemed to consider the role of director as burdensome rather than an opportunity to lead and grow the team. Would the director consider Goldilocks a burden too?
“This leader is TOO meek,” she decided.
So Goldilocks went for another virtual walk through the Internet looking for a new job opportunity. Pretty soon, she came upon a position that seemed interesting to her. She called and set up an interview.
During her interview, Goldilocks met with the director of the division. She quickly realized that this was a very accomplished yet humble director. This director was very interested in hearing what Goldilocks had to say and wanted to make sure they were a good fit for one another. When Goldilocks asked the director what they liked best about working for the organization, the director spoke about the great privilege of being able to lead such a wonderful and dedicated team. The director seemed to really enjoy being a leader.
When Goldilocks asked the director about their leadership style, the director was clear about the vision and values that went into the work. The director wanted to support the team while giving them the freedom and opportunity to explore and grow on their own. This was a very important balance for the director who was really invested in doing the job well. Goldilocks noticed that the director seemed really invested in personal growth as well as the growth of the team. Goldilocks felt confident that the director would be invested in her growth as well.
Finally, Goldilocks asked the director about what changes were needed to make the team more successful. Suddenly, the director began using ‘I’ and mentioned a number of areas of self-improvement to better serve the team. The director never once blamed the team but instead mentioned the team’s potential to be great with the right support and leadership. At last, Goldilocks had found the leader she had been seeking.
“Ahhh, this leader is just right,” Goldilocks said happily, and she accepted the job on the spot.
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