Questions I Wished I Had Asked

The “leader of leaders” concept is crucial to me if I am to fully understand myself as a person and as a leader. Also, I’m hopeful it will influence other leaders to examine their leadership.

At my age, I’m now asking questions I had never considered before. I would have benefited from the answers, whether they were to my liking or not. So, if you believe you are a leader of leaders, you should ask the leaders you’ve created about you as a person and leader. If you are trusted, and they feel safe and secure, they will answer you honestly. If not, they are still sending a loud and clear message.

Here are questions I ask today that I should have asked back in the early 50s: How am I as your leader? Do I listen when you talk? Do you feel understood? Do I confirm, or have I confirmed what you say? Each of these questions, if answered honestly, will or should help any leader to be a better leader.

I answer for myself, but if I had done this as a young leader of leaders, I would have been the best leader I was capable of being. Now, only in hindsight do I realize I was a role model. To know this and fail at the job is a gigantic mistake I fully understand today. At present, I believe I do understand quality leadership and appreciate how rare it is. Over the years, being a good student, I strived to improve my leadership skills. When I went to the plate, I always went for the wall. I still do.

I had many choices offered to me as a young man and chose the most difficult; being in my own business, hiring and training staff, and selling a philosophy of education and recreation. I must believe it was and still is my desire to be independent.

Sy

Author: Sy Ogulnick

Sy Ogulnick received a BA from UCLA, Teacher’s Credential from Los Angeles Board of Education and completed phase I (Master’s portion) in a Doctor of Behavioral Science program at California Coast University. Sy leased and operated a summer day camp in LA. He and his wife then purchased virgin wilderness land in Northern CA, where they built and operated a coed summer camp. They moved to Las Vegas, NV, and purchased, built and operated a community children’s program for families staying in a major resort casino in Las Vegas. They have created programs for children nationwide that employed many people and in the process developed successful training programs for personnel. This led Sy to lecture on how to train staff and the creating of community within the workplace. Sy was then invited to speak at professional conferences on how best to hire and train employees, which led to his becoming a consultant in the art of improving relationships in a work environment and eventually to his epiphany that “Leaders are the primary problem and the answer to the personnel issues that arise in the workplace.” Sy has written numerous papers on the subject of interpersonal relationships, leadership and power. He has lectured throughout the United States, has been interviewed by the media and has appeared on many radio and TV talk shows

One thought on “Questions I Wished I Had Asked”

  1. I have not thought of myself as a leader of leaders, but I now see that, as a therapist, I do lead leaders in many different fields. Though I studiously try to avoid telling them what to do, I help them reach their own best judgement by listening to them, emotionally supporting them, helping them deal with negative thoughts, and helping them see their value to the world. I plan to start asking my clients on a regular basis these questions that Sy offers because this kind of feedback promotes self reflection that can make any therapist a better leader.

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