China Cabinet Leadership

Photo by Taylor Heery on Unsplash

Growing up, my grandparents had a china cabinet. It was the Holy Grail of “look, but don’t touch.” Their china cabinet was in the living room, off to the corner near the TV and the fireplace. Couldn’t miss it - glass doors and everything.

The china was old: Plates and dishes and cups and serving platters from a bygone era when people set huge tables on Sundays. And any other semi-reasonable occasion for a celebration. We even had to wash the china a certain way.

Definitely handle with care.

My grandparents also had daily use dishes. Regular plates. Regular cups. The sort of indestructible tableware that exemplifies the 1950s and ’60s. The kind of dishes that might have made up the plating in early bullet-proof vests.

A lot of leaders have China Cabinet Leadership.

China Cabinet Leadership happens when leaders hold off from having meaningful conversations because they might break something. Instead of engaging in the real work of leadership - setting direction, gaining clarity, calling people forward to a common vision (or redirecting people who might be off-course) - China Cabinet Leaders play a game of ‘wait and see.’

“Well, let’s just see how this goes.”

China Cabinet Leaders mention things in passing. A sort of passive-aggressive dance with no clarity.

Do you know a leader who is constantly collecting tools to try? They have an incredible library of knowledge and resources and even speak the right language in every situation. But when you look at their leadership on a daily basis, there’s no direction. No clarity. Almost like there’s nothing on the plate. Its China Cabinet Leadership.

Daily-use leadership, on the other hand, is in the thick of things. Using tools. Gaining clarity. Finding direction. Bringing people along. Serving the success of both team members and team vision. These leaders are willing to do whatever it takes. There might never be a shiny serving platter for their success.

It doesn’t matter: What’s important is things move forward with clarity.

When leaders get out of the china cabinet, they encourage debate. They confront issues of performance and culture, and communication. They have consistent conversations with their teams. They show up every day to own the journey.

Think back over this last week or two: What conversations might have ended up in the china cabinet? What felt easier to avoid or downplay or say ‘wait and see’?

Look ahead, too: What are three go-to “daily use” leadership habits you want to cultivate? Maybe it’s a consistent check-in, 15 minutes of reflection, or taking time to plan your next conversation with your team. Whatever you choose, try to focus on making them bullet-proof, and be willing to step out and try again and again, so your daily plates and dishes are strong and get lots of good use.

Get out of the cabinet and lead.