How to Claim Your Leadership Power | Michael Timms | TED

Are there any other parents here

who have struggled to get your kids out the door on time?

(Laughter)

So, you know, right?

It's like herding kittens.

(Laughter)

My wife and I would start nagging our three daughters

long before it was time to leave,

but that obviously wasn't working

because we were always late for everything.

But one day was a complete Gong Show.

Five minutes before we needed to leave for an important event,

I found my oldest daughter on the porch reading,

my middle daughter was playing the piano,

and my youngest daughter wasn't wearing any socks.

So I told them, "Stop reading, stop playing the piano,

put on your socks, and everybody get in the car."

Five minutes later, nobody was in the car.

(Laughter)

On my way to help my youngest daughter with her socks,

I noticed my oldest daughter was still on the porch reading.

Now I'm starting to lose it.

Her response?

"I didn't hear you."

But before I could say a word, I heard the piano start playing again.

(Laughter)

And that's the story of how I lost my mind.

The end.

(Laughter)

I just wanted my daughters to take a little ownership

for getting out the door on time.

But then I remembered something I teach management teams.

You can't inspire accountability in others

until you model it yourself.

That's when I realized I wasn't taking any accountability for this problem,

I was blaming it totally on my daughters.

So I tried a different approach and looked in the mirror.

What was I doing, or not doing,

that may be contributing to this problem?