Leadership is an endlessly fascinating topic because it’s one of those things that we recognize when we see it in action, but it’s frustratingly difficult to define or quantify in terms we can all agree upon. What does a great leader do that a not-so-great leader doesn’t do? What does a not-so-great leader do that a great leader avoids doing? All we know for sure is that in organizations of all kinds . . . businesses, charitable organizations, civic organizations, units of government . . . if two or more people are involved, leadership will be required to carry out whatever their mission is. So when I heard a presentation lately devoted to leadership, I found the speaker’s central theme very interesting:
Not everyone in a position of authority is a leader (although arguably they should be), nor does a leader need to be in a position of authority to demonstrate good leadership. Leaders can’t be appointed nor can leadership be bestowed . . . it is a life choice people make for themselves to either accept that responsibility or avoid it.
For some thoughts on what separates true leaders from people who are merely in “leadership positions,” please read below.
“People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader leads and the boss drives.” – Theodore Roosevelt
I think we all know that good leaders can be found throughout an organization, from the very top to the very bottom and everywhere in between. Unfortunately, non-leaders who somehow got themselves into positions of authority can often be found there as well. So how do we sort the wheat from the chaff, the genuine leaders from the pretenders? While you might argue that leadership is somewhat situational . . . that a leader on a battlefield is not necessarily the leader you’d want in the Boardroom . . . at the 50,000 foot level, I think we can discern certain characteristics that all leaders hold in common.
Leaders are consistent.
• It’s hard to follow someone who is zig zagging all over the place. Followers will get lost when a leader is constantly changing direction or changing priorities.
• Leaders are also consistent in the way they maintain their composure . . . tough to have confidence in someone who “loses it” whenever there’s a bump in the road.
• And leaders are consistent in the way they apply rules and policies . . . they don’t play favorites or enforce rules selectively.
Leaders are dependable, trustworthy.
• They do what they say they’ll do and do it within the timeframe they commit to.
• When they are unable to deliver on a commitment, they will notify everyone affected as early as possible.
Leaders are responsible.
• They don’t try to shift blame when something under their control goes wrong.
• They don’t try to make excuses.
Leaders are unselfish.
• They always make their own interests subordinate to the “greater good” of their organization
• They never try to take or share credit for someone else’s work.
• They accept the responsibility of being guide and mentor to those in their care.
• They will be the first line of defense when their people need to be defended. He or she will always have their back. He or she will always offer help when asked.
Leaders are good communicators.
• They operate by the “Doctrine of No Surprises,” up the chain of command and down.
• They listen. They show dignity and respect to their people by taking seriously their thoughts, ideas, and concerns.
Where leadership is concerned, these are the BIG FIVE for me. I’m sure we could list some other attributes we’d like to see in a leader, but these transcend the battlefield and the boardroom. And I think we can agree that anyone exhibiting these traits is a leader. The CEO could have these attributes, but so could the janitor who has authority over nothing more than the cleaning supplies . . . vastly different stations within their organization, but still both leaders.
Nothing new here, right? That is, these have been the fundamental tenets of leadership throughout modern times. But maybe we need to be reminded of them from time to time, and maybe we need to make sure that we haven’t allowed a “boss” to creep into one of our leadership positions.
We’ve talked here only recently about the powerful influence managers and supervisors have over the job satisfaction of the people in their care. If you feel that the morale, energy, and commitment of your people is very high, you can thank the leadership skills of your managers and supervisors for that. If you feel that the morale, energy, and commitment of your people is not what you want it to be, you can thank your managers and supervisors for that too.
