Lessons from the Field #21 — Sharpen the Tip of the Spear
My boss, George Wilkins , has a phrase he uses often:
“Keep the tip of the spear sharp.”
The more I’ve thought about it, the more I realize how much that applies to leadership.
The tip of the spear is where strategy meets reality.
It’s our leaders in the field making decisions in real time.
It’s the store manager setting the tone for the shift.
It’s the district manager developing their people before there’s a problem.
It’s the person closest to the work who ultimately determines whether the plan becomes a result.
And if that part of the organization isn’t sharp, it doesn’t matter how good the strategy looked on paper.
But here’s the part leaders have to own:
The tip of the spear doesn’t sharpen itself.
We sharpen it through clear expectations.
Through coaching before correction is needed.
Through honest conversations.
Through recognition.
Through accountability.
And by giving people the confidence and tools to make good decisions when we aren’t standing beside them.
Sometimes sharpening also means sharpening ourselves.
Getting back into the field.
Listening more closely.
Challenging our own assumptions.
And making sure we haven’t become so focused on the next result that we stop developing the people responsible for delivering it.
Because leadership isn’t about being the sharpest person in the organization.
It’s about making sure the people at the tip are ready for whatever comes next.
That’s how strong teams become stronger organizations.
And that’s how we keep the tip of the spear sharp.
Lesson from the field:
Strategy may set the direction. But prepared, capable people are what move it forward.
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