Recently, a friend described her boss: "He's a great guy, but he just does everything by the seat of his pants." Earlier, a prominent leader addressed a conference of government executives: "As leaders, we like to operate by instinct. Our gut often tells us the right thing to do."
But such instincts - often the very traits and qualities that make good leaders - sometimes have to be managed from the ranks before they result in a failed project or a million-dollar mistake. Employees respect action, not passivity. As the lion tamers in the office, their job is to help bosses prepare so when they leap through a hoop of fire, they get it right and it looks instinctive.
The trick is getting them to sit still, listen and work together. Four components work cohesively to make instinctive leaders tick and be approachable.
To read the full column from the January 1 issue of Government Executive magazine, click here.