For those new to my network, you will learn a couple of things in time. I love boxing (heavyweight division), marvel, and hip-hop. Tyson Fury, aka "The Gypsy King", successfully defended his title against Dillian Whyte recently. For those unfamiliar, let's just politely say Dillian got his clock cleaned, but I digress.
In the build-up to the fight and as I have watched Fury closely, there are a few reoccurring leadership themes to highlight:
1. Fury has a clear vision- He always lets everyone know what he's going to do and how he will do it. He says I am going to knock you out. I will do this within six rounds. Clarity of vision is an essential leadership characteristic.
2. Fury's vision is simple and easy to follow- within two minutes, everyone is aware of what will happen. If, as a leader, we need multiple meetings, town halls and the like to understand your vision, then there is more work required to distil what is in your head into something people can follow.
3. Fury is in complete control of his team- during the weigh-in, both team Fury and Whyte got, shall we say, perturbed. As things got heated, Fury stepped in and immediately, his team followed suit and toned down. If your team is going wayward or there is no respect for the leader's direction, there is no leadership.
4. Fury defended his title- critics can say Fury shouldn't have fought Whyte. Essentially because technically, Whyte is not at the same skill level, but Fury got called out to defend his title and did what leaders do, answer. In the business context, reputational issues are paramount. If a leader doesn't act swiftly, seemingly non-threatening issues become bigger problems.
Tyson Fury is a great boxer and proving to be a fantastic leader. Leadership is one of my themes of focus this year. I will be addressing leadership in all its glory and failures.