My favorite food is homemade pie.
I come by this naturally, as my Dad used to famously say, “I only like two kinds of pie; hot and cold.” While I can’t quite say that, there is little doubt how much I love pie. And I’ve had lots of it too. As a kid growing up we had fresh pie nearly every day all summer. I learned why many years later when my mom admitted, “I learned that if there was pie, you all wouldn’t notice if we were having sandwiches again.”
She was right.
So why am I talking about pie?
Because of Thanksgiving, of course, and I will likely gorge myself on pies of various flavors. So with pie on the mind, I thought “Kevin, how can you tie this into a leadership lesson?” So here goes. I think you will see that the connection is pretty powerful.
- Great pie requires great ingredients. This almost goes without saying. The freshest, best-tasting ingredients will make the best pie. Just like being an effective leader requires the right inputs. If you want to lead successfully, you must be reading, thinking and learning about leadership to become the leader you want to be and one that your team deserves.
- The crust matters. My mom makes the world’s flakiest, best pie crust (and thankfully, my mother-in-law’s is a close second) A pie connoisseur will tell you: The crust is key to a great pie. Yes, no pie can be great without a great filling, but even so, the crust matters. As a leader, your external personality and style will make a difference. To be an effective leader, you must ultimately be approachable, open and willing to interact with those you are leading.
- Pie is best when shared. While I could (and have, over a day or so) eaten a whole pie, part of the value and pleasure comes in sharing and enjoying it with others. As a leader, you lead not just one person, but a team or whole organization. You must be willing to share your perspectives, your time, your encouragement and more.
- Pie comes in different flavors. Apple, cream, pumpkin, butterscotch, chocolate, strawberry or rhubarb. There are many different flavors of pies, and they can all be delicious. Similarly, there is more than one way to lead. There isn’t just one leadership style or approach that encourages people to follow you. Let your style and personality show through as you build your leadership skills.
- Pie is best warm. Like my dad said, pie is good hot or cold. But it is better warm from the oven (or reheated in the microwave). Everything else being equal, people want to follow people they know, like and trust. That means you must be willing to open up, be human, be real and be warm. You don’t have to be sappy or effusive (styles again, remember?), but showing warmth to those around you allows you to lead more effectively.
- Pie is something that we need. Don’t think you need pie? Speak for yourself! Maybe you aren’t as over-the-top about it as I am, but most people wouldn’t turn down a slice. The same with leadership. We need leaders and leadership in order to reach our goals and make a difference in our organizations. Even if you detest pie, you can admit we need leaders.
- There is seldom enough pie. There have been a few times in my life when there was more than enough pie in my house, but those times are rare. While you might think of a time when there were almost too many leaders in a situation, that is a rarity too. Good pie is in short supply, and so is good leadership.
I hope you look at your Thanksgiving pies a little differently this year! More than that, I hope you enjoy every morsel of food and every second you spend doing whatever it is you have planned!
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