Not everyone is chosen to be a leader, but those that are realize their success lies in the success of the people they lead. BY DAVID LEWIS
Over the past several decades, focus on leadership has become an increasingly significant subject matter. A seemingly endless supply of books and training materials can be found on the book shelves and in media libraries, all claiming to unlock the secrets that can equip today’s entrepreneurs and business leaders with the tools and philosophies for success. In my own efforts to offer our clients the best materials and training on this subject, I have discovered five common traits that generally define what leadership is:
- Leadership is about influencing others
Anyone not living in a cave by themselves, influences someone else whether they know it or not. If you know someone, you have at least some form of influence on them that can be good, bad or even indifferent. Leaders, however, influence people in such a way that it inspires or empowers them to do things that make a difference for themselves and others. By their words and actions, they draw followers to themselves and in so doing are able to accomplish things that move the ball forward in the right direction.
Leaders tend to draw out of others the potentials they themselves cannot necessarily acquire on their own. They influence, motivate and encourage others and have the power to affect change, which in itself creates a desire in others to follow their leadership.
- Leadership is a verb not a noun
Leadership is not the result of receiving a title or holding a position in a company or group of people. It is what someone does that makes them a leader, not what title is written on their office door or displayed on their desk. Leadership is a verb inferring action, not a noun signifying a person, place or thing. Though someone may be a figurehead filling a specific role or position, this does not make them a true leader. Those who view leadership as a noun may feel this gives them their power over others. This, however, is not the kind of leadership that inspires others to act out and accomplish things beyond their expected duties.
True leaders invoke esteem and loyalty from their peers and subordinates. They understand the value that team effort brings to any task and they focus more on garnering the resources of the team to accomplish their goals rather than trying to do it all themselves. Because they take action and lead by example, their teammates gladly follow them toward the goals they have set knowing they are far more likely to succeed under their trusted and proven leadership. Leaders are willing to go before those they lead and guide them in the path of achievement.
Leadership is a verb, not a noun. It is an individual’s action that makes them a leader, not just the sign on their door or desk. It is not the position they hold in the dealership or organization that draws others to follow them, but the respect they have earned through the commitment and dedication they show to the success of those they lead. By helping others, they encourage and inspire them every step of the way in their pursuit of personal achievement.
- Leadership is about creating change and facilitating growth
All things are usually in a state of fluctuation. This includes people and their efforts to grow and change their abilities and further develop their talents and skills. Leadership means a person is willing to take responsibility for creating change and facilitating growth in their team and their organization. They are not afraid to advance new ideas or to develop better tools or introduce stronger concepts that will help them reach higher to accomplish their goals. True leaders are constantly searching for new ways to become better and to help those around them advance themselves in their trade and profession.
Leaders are fearless in their quest to find new training resources to bring to the attention of the group. They are always seeking creative ways to work with others and help them further develop their knowledge and skills. They don’t hoard new information in order to make themselves stand out in the crowd. To a leader, their goals are accomplished when those of their team are realized; therefore they share what they learn in order to advance everyone forward toward achieving their goal.
- Leadership deals with people and their dynamics
Not everyone is qualified to be a leader or has a desire to lead others. The responsibilities are often more than someone wants to manage and so they take the position of a follower and leave leadership to others. This isn’t bad because not everyone can be a leader of others. To quote someone educated in the art of leadership: “A leader without followers is just someone out taking a walk.” Leadership is an essential part of life, and so is the ability to be a willing follower.
Effective leaders know that all people have skills and abilities and that if guided and led in the right direction they can usually accomplish great things. Each person is unique in their own way. An important part of leadership is learning how to understand and develop the unique abilities of those who work alongside them. The more they learn to understand and lead those under their supervision, the more they grow their own leadership skills in the process.
Everyone is different in many ways and learning how to motivate people is a big part of a leader’s job. People react differently to different types of coaching and leadership. Effective organizers understand the dynamics of the individuals working under them and they customize their leadership to draw the maximum potential that each person has to offer. True leaders don’t simply issue commands and expect everyone to fall into line. They lead by example and by the personal understanding they have of those who follow them. They know that their effectiveness as a leader depends on their ability to connect with those they lead. All people react differently to leadership and require different levels of attention to help them reach their goals. Once you know this as a leader, you can help them construct a plan for achieving success.
- Leadership is not about advancing yourself, but advancing others
One of the often-misunderstood facts about leadership is that it is not primarily a self-serving role. True leadership focuses on advancing others in their abilities and achievements, and they are driven by the goals and satisfaction they want to achieve as a group, not the personal acclaim that comes from achieving them. Leaders realize their own success in the achievements of those they lead. They know that if those under their supervision believe they are only seeking personal advancement, they will stop responding to them and their leadership will end.
They take personal pride in the accomplishments of those who achieve success from what they have been able to teach and inspire them to accomplish. As the Chinese proverb says, “A Leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.”
It is enough for a leader to know that their guidance and leadership has aided in the accomplishment they set out to achieve, and that those who participated as followers can enjoy the personal satisfaction of knowing they have done a good job. They strive for achieving excellence in others and gain their greatest satisfaction from the achievements of those under their guidance and leadership.
Not everyone is chosen to lead others, and those who do are not usually driven by the rewards of their success as much as the satisfaction of knowing that they have played an essential part in something worthwhile. Those who desire to become effective leaders and are willing to commit to the challenge and discipline required for success, will find themselves growing in the process as they advance their own skills and the skills of those they lead to new heights of achievement.
