Observe Inspire Lead

With the Presidential election in a few days, we have been inundated with polls: taking them and hearing the results of them.  But I ask, what is the purpose?  I want to think it is to reflect the opinion of the public.  But the more I read, hear, and see for myself, it appears their purpose is to create public opinion.  No one wants to say they voted for the loser.  So the poll results saying one person is leading over the other is bound to be a factor in the votes cast.  The topic I will not approach is poll manipulation. If you want an interesting read, check out the Wall Street Journal article, “Can We Believe the Presidential Polls?”, from a couple of weeks ago.

In the workplace, some leaders take the approach of making decisions based on their own knowledge and experiences and in their own vacuum.  Other leaders “poll” the opinions of others to help make their decisions.  Good leaders use both of these approaches.  Great leaders understand the importance of when to use both approaches for maximum efficiency, effectiveness and buy-in.