On Leadership

On Leadership

I think everyone strives to be a better leader. We read books, take classes and go through the upper management training courses, yet so few people seem to really grasp the core concepts of leadership.

I have been privy to witness all kinds of leadership in the military and in my corporate career and although I am no expert, leadership has started to come easier for me over the years.

Let me give you some background…

When I was 17 years old, I helped found a non-profit corporation. It was a grant based volunteer organization that had out reach programs to local youth. In the beginning of this project, we were interviewed by local press and I ended up on the center stage, the next thing I knew I was being called the “leader” of this group by various forms of the press.

Over the next few years I learned some of the most important secrets of leadership.

1. People follow dreamers and those that can inspire others to do great things
2. People follow those that take action, not those who talk and preach fluff
3. People follow those who “Don’t follow the Crowd”

For better and worse, this project was a success. I was proclaimed a local hero and given accolades for my endeavors, this also led to me getting a big head and thinking I knew it all at age 20.

I always tell people if you want the biggest leadership challenge of your life, go lead a non-profit organization of volunteers who are not being paid to work there. It will challenge every bone of your leader body.

In the real world there are few leaders but a lot of managers.

Leaders lead and inspire people
Managers manage tasks and things

In the past few years I have taken my leadership to another level in that I truly care for the people on my teams. I care for their personal needs and endeavors; I coach them with finances, faith and help them in any way possible, regardless if I ever receive anything in return. I often spend my own time and money to help others in small ways.

A true leader cares about people, not about tasks, not about what upper management thinks. You truly care about what is inside of each one of your teammates and you let them know that they are great people.

I also have learned the power of influence.

Many times titles, rank and position have nothing to do with who really makes an organization work. There are those special people who have all the connections, they have great rapport with people and they remember to help the little guys on the bottom and the big guys at the top.

These people are the influencers. They may be anywhere in an organization, the mail room, middle management, at the local espresso stand or the gatekeeper to the CEO. They have so many friends and connections in the organization that they “walk between the raindrops.”

I have learned to occupy this role by networking with people at all levels and helping them solve problems. I am the go to guy.

Gordon Gekko said “Information is the most valuable commodity I know of”

I try to become an information portal and push that information out to those who need it to help them with their activities and problems.

Note this is not “brown nosing” but honest information exchange and full honesty to people at all levels of an organization. While most people try to suck up and impress the big guys, I have frequently talked with leaders echelons above me and given them an honest assessment of their problems.

Now I am by all means no expert and I am far from calling myself a great leader. Yet, I get deep satisfaction from the frequent emails, phone calls and notes of thanks for truly caring and truly giving in my own unique way.

A True Master of this style of leadership was the Apostle Paul and in the future I will give a post on why the Apostle Paul was the master leader and influencer.

I frequently challenge people with this topic to get out of the role of a manager and develop your role as a leader, it is in all of us, it just needs to be developed.