Where should the Hawkeyes be ranked in the College Football Playoffs?

 

What can business leaders take away from Iowa's College Football Playoff ranking?

 

The Hawkeyes undefeated start has made for good debate both here in Iowa and across the nation.  Iowa may be the most polarizing team in college football.

Iowa fans can make an intelligent argument for their beloved Hawkeyes to be in the top four.  Other experts across the country don't believe Iowa is one of the best three teams in their own conference.

 

The Hawkeyes are a divisive issue.  How can there be so much difference of opinion over the Hawkeyes rightful place in the College Football Stratosphere?

 

The same thing happens in business every day.  People who work together every day often see opportunities and challenges within a business very differently.  As the leader you must:

 

1.  Expect and encourage differences of opinion.  Embrace the fact that  two or more rational intelligent humans view the same circumstances and come away with completely different points of view. 

2. Always remember the lens through which each Individual views the world is shaped and molded by their collective experiences.  As the leader you need to understand the unique  lens that your team members use to view problems and opportunities. 

3. View differences of opinion between team members (and how you reach the final decision) as tremendous opportunities to exhibit leadership.  Managers make and enforce policy decisions.  A leader brings the parties involved closer together before making the decision.  How the team members feel about each other after the decision is often more important than making the "right" decision.

 

True Leadership is so much more than being the referee.  As we see every Saturday, anyone can officiate(apologies to my friends in stripes, but I could not resist).  Leaders are able to get team members to "try on each others glasses" even if it is just long enough to see things suddenly look a little fuzzy. That is leadership.