How do you show you’re not part of the clueless crowd? Don’t hide in your office. Prove to your staff you’re ready to lead them instead of holding back.

That, and a couple of other leadership tips, in today’s Lunchtime Links:

Show them you can lead: Association consultant Jamie Notter believes there are ways employees can change the workplace culture if they consider the boss clueless, but what if the tables are turned and it’s the leader trying to show that they “get it”? Part of being the boss is gaining the respect of your employees. For starters, don’t let cluelessness defeat ideas—instead, find a way to work past it. Leaders can take this advice from Notter: “We’re always going to face cluelessness. We should learn to be forgiving of it, actually (because you know as well as I do that sometimes we all are on the clueless side). And by all means, don’t let cluelessness be your excuse for inaction,” he writes.

Sometimes, procrastination works: How long do you wait before making a decision? Being indecisive isn’t an effective way of leading, but working around a decision that can be put off without affecting the process can make for a more informed decision later. “In a fast-moving environment, often the smartest thing to do is to stop and watch. Keep collecting data. Keep asking questions. Make a decision, yes—but leave it until the last moment you can. Take time to absorb uncertainty—and learn from it,” recommends entrepreneur and author Margaret Heffernan, a former chief executive.

Don’t shelve ideas: Demand Perspective’s Anna Caraveli thinks your association should rely less on formal “strategic planning” and more on “strategic thinking.” Even the best planning and strategizing don’t guarantee things will actually get done. “The greatest mistake organizations make in planning is to assume that analysis and detailed plans will automatically translate into action. People are motivated when they themselves learn by doing rather than be lectured or be involved in scheduling,” Caraveli writes.

What interesting reads have you found today? Let us know in your comments below.

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