More on Leadership

Leadership is earned through action. Leadership occurs because of things you do, not because of a position you hold. You may have heard, or read that leadership isn’t granted, it is earned – and that is completely true. You are only leading if people are choosing to follow you. Here is a question to challenge your behavior related to this principle: If you were arrested for being a leader, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

• Your job title doesn’t really matter. We all know people with the title that aren’t leading, and we all know people who don’t have, nor do they want, the position, yet they are leading all the time. When leaders have the title, they recognize what the title is, and then go about the real work of leading.

Leadership isn’t an individual activity – you can’t do it alone. And yet, leaders act as if they can all the time. They micro-manage. They keep work for themselves. They don’t delegate effectively. They take the credit for the work, effort and ideas of others. You are leading others, so you must engage them – not only can’t you do it alone, but why would you want to? You have a team – engage them!

• You aren’t in control – leadership is a game of influence. You can’t make your team members do, think, or say anything, they choose. You have control over your thoughts, behaviors, emotions and choices – everything else (which is most everything!) is a matter of influence. You aren’t going it alone, but with others. And others aren’t in your control. The best leaders remember this and act from a place of influence