At a recent Republican presidential debate, Texas Governor Rick Perry had a momentary brain freeze. As a candidate for president, he shared that he would target three federal agencies for elimination. But, then he named two and forgot the name of the third agency. Oops.
While his candidacy will go down in the history among famous bloopers, there is something more important to learn from his faux pas. The fact is simple: leaders must make sure to prepare and practice. It is imperative!
Taking time to practice remarks, review facts, and recap details is a fundamental part of being a frontrunner. It is about being a model for others to follow. How can we expect others to follow us and “do like we do” if we cannot remember the details we want others to agree with?
For every leader, preparation is at the center of looking and becoming the part. Being in any leadership capacity often involves doing whatever it takes to remember the minutia and always to consider the big picture. Specifically, this might mean sticking to the main point and then mentioning the details later. Sometimes it involves mind-enriching games to sharpen memory skills.
Also, making sure to practice prevents a leader from looking incapable. Sure, everyone has had a forgetful moment. But, for followers to maintain confidence in a poised leader it means always appearing to be infallible. Mistakes happen, but it is best that these are nominal rather than colossal oversights. Over events that go into the world’s most embarrassing moments.
Finally, the public wants to see leaders who can act under pressure. Part of being a leader is being able to think quickly on your feet. It means being able to draw mental notes when you are drawing a blank. For others it might involve making fast responses and then fill in the blanks later.
At the end of the day, people are not looking for perfect leaders. But, they are looking for leaders who can mitigate egregious errors by simply taking the time do what works best. Practice, practice, and more practice!
-Dawn McCoy, author of Leadership Building Blocks: An Insider’s Guide to Success
