A manager’s journey from Luke to Yoda

"As I started to learn about leadership, and appreciate that leadership was a service, a way to help people find their power, it became a lot more interesting to me."

That's from the podcast interview I did with my former coworker, Jod Kaftan, who has over 20 years of experience in product, UX, and strategy. As a trailblazer and leader in the industry, he is an advocate for a people-centered approach to management.

In this episode, Jod and I discussed the perils (and temptations) of "falling on every grenade for your team." Meaning, that you have to guide them to make their own decisions, coach them to face off against and collaborate with challenging stakeholders, and stop trying to be everyone’s “hero.” I admit I struggle with this a little bit. I like being of service to my team, but Jod is right. In fact, I love the way he expressed this, as “obsoleting yourself” in order to build the next generation of leaders.

To really drive this point home, Jod used a Star Wars metaphor: he’s made the journey from Luke Skywalker to Yoda. Luke is the hero that many managers may see themselves as, but to truly lead, you need to evolve to Yoda. It’s not your quest anymore. Instead, you’re the guide.

Give it a listen here: