WWLD: What Would a Leader Do?

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“Chapter 4. Leadership” of The Career Toolkit: Essential Skills for Success That No One Taught You, I describe leadership as influential, not positional. In short, leaders aren’t simply people with titles, but rather are people who get others to follow, regardless of position and formally conveyed authority. Easy to say, but for many harder to do. Here’s a simple technique you can employ to help you on your leadership journey: What would a leader do?

In the 1990s the motto “WWJD,” standing for, “What would Jesus do?” became very popular in the Christian community. The purpose of the phrase was to remind people who felt that Jesus was their moral beacon, how they should act in accordance with his teachings. Many people would even wear “WWJD” bracelets so it would be a visible reminder to them when decisions had to be made. (Note: I’m not endorsing WWJD or Christianity in general, I’m just using this as an analogy.)

For aspiring leaders (and the best leaders know they should always aspire to become even better leaders) remember the phrase, “WWLD: What would a leader do?” When faced with a circumstance, question, or problem, just ask yourself: WWLD?

Many people find themselves on projects where issues come up. Suppose a certain task is going to take much longer than planned, which would negatively impact the larger project schedule. A worker may think, “Well, the project manager will see these reports, recognize that things are slipping, and will decide what to do.” WWLD? Instead of waiting for the project manager or someone more senior to discover it, she would proactively raise the issue. The project manager may not see it for some time, and even if he does it may get lost among other issues. Rather than wait for someone else to raise the alarm, she steps up and does it herself. Even better, she may also have suggestions for how to mitigate it or changes that need to be made to accommodate it. In other words, a leader doesn’t wait for someone else to act, she proactively addresses an issue.

Sometimes co-workers struggle. Maybe it’s due to lack of training or ability, or sometimes we have circumstances in our personal lives which causes us to lose focus or productivity at work; we’re all human. A co-worker might feel sympathy or even say I’m here to listen. WWLD? He would recognize that someone on his team is struggling and it’s his job to help them. It’s his job not because it’s explicitly in his job description from the company; it’s his job because a leader makes it his job. He doesn’t need to wait until the person comes to him, he’ll proactively reach out and ask what help is needed. (You may be reminded of the famous wolf-pack photo on the internet showing that a wolf leader leads from the back to make sure no one falls behind; unfortunately, that’s a myth as noted by AFP and Snopes. Fortunately, we’re not wolves and can reach out no matter where we are in the hierarchy.)

If this feels a little abstract and you’re not sure what exactly a leader would do, just think of a leader you admire, real or fictional, and ask what that person would do. And if you’re still not sure, ask a manager or a leader at your company who you respect for guidance. Leadership isn’t about having all the answers yourself, going to others for help leading is very much a technique employed by seasoned leaders. (You can even show them this article and ask for help answering WWLD in your situation.)

Those familiar with James Clear’s work may recognize he promotes a similar concept in his book Atomic Habits. He describes a key to creating habits is to see yourself not as a person trying to give up smoking, but rather seeing yourself as a non-smoker, or not as someone trying to lose weight, but as someone who is healthy. The person giving up smoking is trying to resist a cigarette, the person who doesn’t smoke simply won’t smoke them at all (even if she sometimes gives in to a moment of weakness). The person trying to lose weight slips and eats a pint of ice cream; the person who sees himself as healthy makes healthy eating choices by default (even if occasionally he slips). To put it another way, Clear emphasizes a shift in mindset. Each of the chapters in The Career Toolkit: Essential Skills for Success That No One Taught You begins with a mental shift in how to think about that skill. By asking WWLD, you’re implicitly putting yourself in the mindset of a leader.

If you want to be a leader, you can simply act like a leader. The tools to help you do that is the expression WWLD: What would a leader do? When you face a challenge or problem, ask WWLD and then do what a leader would. Bracelet optional. Good luck.

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