They lead others by pushing - they give a ship a good shove in the right direction when it is required and also they lead from the front by towing. They rarely work alone - one tugboat is not usually enough to move a ship and importantly, they know their limitations. In tricky local waters tugboats will often deliver a local Sea Pilot to the ship so that Sea Pilot can take the helm guide the ship safely to port. 

Leadership is very similar - so to lead like a tugboat:

🛶 Don’t be afraid to give people a good ‘shove’ when they need it to reach their full potential

⛵ Lead from the front when it is required to pull people along

🛟 Don’t try to lead alone, your fellow leaders are your team use them, and

⚓ Know your limitations (technical, interpersonal and contextual) – find the ‘local’ experts to lead the team as required. 

The image above is from our recent work with the Tasmanian Ombudsman’s Senior Leadership Team. We completed the following Programs: Social Style & Versatility, Adaptive Mindset for Resilience and individual Executive Coaching. Our Hotel was right beside the Hobart Tugboats, hence the maritime theme.

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