They're fearless, innovative risk takers, are constantly asking questions, learning and passing on their knowledge to others.
No, that's not a description of modern corporate leaders. Rather, it lists the natural traits of three- and four-year-olds. And leaders could learn a lot by paying attention to the way that little kids handle their lives and deal with others, contends Toronto-based management consultant Hugh MacPhie, author of the new book Don't Forget Your Cape: What Preschoolers Teach Us about Leadership and Life.
The title refers to a cape that Mr. MacPhie bought for his three-year-old son John, who was obsessed by action heroes. “Every time he put the cape on, I saw an instant transformation: His back straightened up, his eyes brightened and his language skills improved. He suddenly believed he could do anything he set his mind to,” Mr. MacPhie says.
That belief that you have the power to make things happen is just one of the messages from pint-sized people that leaders should take to heart in this still-scary economy, Mr. McPhie says. In his consulting work as principal of organizational consultancy MacPhie & Co., he sees many leaders who have forgotten how to be as confident as kids.
“The demands of daily office life can erode confidence and make people afraid to question the status quo, or to take a risk on something that might fail,” he says.
Take a cue from the kids, he advises. “Just like when you were four years old, every day should be an exciting new adventure. Have the confidence that there is nothing you can't accomplish if you put your mind to it.”
Here are some key ways that grownups should act more like kids:
Ask why
What kids do
Preschoolers ask why – a lot – because they are genuinely trying to understand the world around them. Just as important, they are trying to understand the root causes rather than the surface answers.
What leaders do wrong
Somewhere along the way, asking questions to drill down to fundamental causes often gets lost and complacency sets in. For instance, the leaders of U.S. auto companies apparently were not asking basic questions about why foreign brands that changed models more frequently were gaining market share while they continued to sell the same products year after year, Mr. MacPhie says.
Cue from the kids
Leaders should constantly challenge assumptions and get to the reasons why things are changing. “The Japanese have a system called the five why's, which is a management tool that asks any number of times why to understand the genuine reason something is happening,” Mr. MacPhie says. Organizations have thrived by continuing to ask why questions. For instance, Procter & Gamble Co. continually does market research asking customers why they buy even long running products and adapting their products to changing demands, he says.
Take more risks
What kids do
“Preschoolers take risks all the time. And they fail dozens of times a day. They are constantly trying something going outside their comfort zones, and therefore learning, growing, and gaining more skills.”
What leaders don't do
“Particularly in a shaky economy, managers tend to shun risk-taking because they are concerned about what others in the organization might say if they failed. And they reject innovative ideas from their staff for fear of being to blame for a failure. This squeezes out innovation and creativity.”
Cue from the kids
Actively encourage employees to take smart risks, and not fear failure. When individuals stop getting outside their comfort zones, they stop learning and growing. And in the process, the entire organization becomes less innovative and cutting-edge. If an idea or innovation doesn't work out, learn from it.
Share what you know
What kids do
When kids learn something, they tell their playmates about it incessantly, and the knowledge gets passed on.
What leaders do wrong
