What is
Content
What is “Leadership” and What Makes a Good Leader?
Posted on April 19, 2013 by Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute
There are many definitions of leadership. The Collins English dictionary defines leadership as “the
leader(s) of a party or group.” Yet true leadership is much more than that. A leader can be the CEO of an
organization, or a first year employee who leads his or her team to success behind the scenes. A leader
might lead through official authority and power, yet just as often great leaders lead through inspiration,
persuasion and personal connections.
So what is leadership? One great definition is:
“Leadership is the art of leading others to deliberately create a result
that wouldn’t have happened otherwise.”
It’s not just the creation of results that makes good leadership. Good leaders are able to deliberately create
challenging results by enlisting the help of others. They can single handedly turn failing companies into
Fortune 500 organizations. They can change company cultures. Good leadership is an essential key to
corporate success.
The Characteristics of a Good Leader
What makes a good leader? Here are some of their most important characteristics:
Self-Awareness. You have an intimate knowledge of your inner emotional state. You know your strengths
and your weaknesses. You know when you’re working in flow and you know when you’re over worked.
You know yourself, including your capabilities and your limitations, which allows you to push yourself to
your maximum potential.
Self-Direction. You’re able to direct yourself effectively and powerfully. You know how to get things
done, how to organize tasks and how to avoid procrastination. You know how to generate energy for
projects, to calm yourself when angered. You can make decisions quickly when necessary, but can also
slow to consider all the options on the table.
Vision. You’re working towards a goal that’s greater than yourself. It could be something small, like the
success of the team, or a larger vision like world peace. Working towards a vision is far more inspiring
than working towards personal gain.
Ability to Motivate. Leaders don’t lead by telling people what they have to do. Instead, leaders cause
people to want to help them. A key part of this is cultivating your own desire to help others. When others
sense that you want to help them, they in turn want to help you.
Social Awareness. Understanding social networks and key influencers in that social network is another
key part of leadership. Who in the organization has the most clout, both officially and unofficially? Who
moves the hearts of the group?
These are some of the most important characteristics of good leaders.
Emotional Intelligence and Leadership
Most of these traits tie directly into emotional intelligence (EQ). Leaders with high EQ are intrinsically
more self-aware. They understand their mental processes and know how to direct themselves. They’re
more in touch with what they’re deeply passionate about. They naturally care more for others and receive
more compassion in return. They’re more socially in tune.
Leadership is more often than not about “soft skills” rather than hard skills. Yes, a leader who understands
what drives the bottom line is valuable. Yet it’s the leader who can get others to perform at their best who
ultimately creates winning organizations.
Defining Leadership
Leadership Defined
‘Leadership is at its best when its vision is strategic, the voice persuasive and the
results tangible. In the study of leadership, an exact definition is not essential but
guiding concepts are needed’. Useem1
Definition of Leadership
Establishing a single definition of leadership has its challenges:
Leadership has many contexts: from political, military, business, sports and
culture, right through every level and section of society, our communities and
families
We all have our individual experiences and expectations of leadership: from
vision and inspiration to serving others or power and control
Views on what effective leadership is have evolved over time e.g. from
issuing orders to inspiring and empowering
Successful leadership is defined by the situation e.g. Winston Churchill is
not viewed as a particularly successful peacetime leader. Also, it is often remarked
that the leadership styles and strengths of CEOs employed in a crisis to
‘turnaround’ failing organizations are very different to those needed to grow them.
At its most basic, leadership in an organization can be defined as influencing others
to achieve the organization’s goals and deliver its vision.
Many writers have observed however, that in order to inspire and motivate people
to achieve these goals, the goals themselves need to be viewed as ‘worthwhile’ or
for some greater purpose. Delivering the organization’s goals needs to deliver a
benefit to customers, the community or society that is viewed as worthwhile.
Define Leadership - What is leadership?
Leadership is not an end in itself, but a means to bring out the best in people, to
inspire and motivate them to commit their energies, skills and talents to delivering
the organization’s vision.
As leadership is focused on the Vision it is all about the 'future' focus. Leadership
seeks to find new opportunities for individuals and the organization to be a success
in the future . That might mean dealing first with very difficult situations that
threatened survival today. In tackling those threats leadership still seeks to create
the better future and seize opportunities.
As leadership tackles the future it needs to empower and harness the capability and
potential of the people and other resources which can come together to make that
future.
To make the future and vision a reality and create and siee new opportunities
leadership is about delivering successful and useful change.
In all of that a key message is that leadership is all about behaviours that take the
people and organisation to a new future.
In making change work Leadership influences the behaviour and actions of
others.
Modern views of leadership have moved away from influence using authority,
position, command and control, to a focus on influencing by:
Relating to and connecting with people
Building trust
Motivating, inspiring and empowering people
Creating a compelling vision of the future
Communicating that vision in a way that builds commitment to it
Role modelling honesty and integrity.
One important footnote here is to recognise that Leadership is a set of
competencies and should not be thought as a particular personality trait or
perceived charisma.
Leadership and Management
It is very important to get to grips with the fact that Leadership is different from
Management. Quite simply they are not the same.
Unfortunately common language and parlance in business and the use of
organisational titles like 'Leader' and 'Manager' add to the confusion about
Leadership itself and Management itself.
This means than when looking to improve your 'leadership' or 'management' skills
and capabilities you must first stop using the terms as 'the same thing' or
interchangeably and recognise differences. This differentiation allows you to focus
to the specifics needed to enhance capability and performance in each area.
The other issue to get to grips with is the use of the terms 'leaders' or 'manager' to
refer to different layers in an organisation i.e. 'the leadership did x, y, z...' meaning
those in the top positions did 'x,y,z...'. Just because a person is at a certain level
does not mean they are a 'Leader'. They will require different 'leadership' and
'management' skills in their position to be effective. This is true of all positions as
'leadership' and 'management' will exist at all levels.
Considering the contrast between leadership and management provides another
way to arrive at a definition of leadership.
As with leadership, there is no single definition of management. Some common
themes around management include:
Getting work done through other people to achieve stated objectives
Planning, organizing, leading and controlling - Fayol’s Management
Functions
Clarifying objectives, problem solving, planning work, managing resources,
organizing and co-ordinating activity, measuring and controlling performance
Management is a complex set of interrelated skills and difficult to execute
successfully in a sustained manner.
Management in many ways seeks to ensure an organisation can deliver consistently
and predictably and produces outputs, products and services that meet the
customers needs for quality, at the costs required, within the budget time and time
again. With the complex nature of organisations today, their complex structures
and supply chains delivering this consistent performance in changing worlds and
markets in not easy.
Going to back to Leadership we see it is more closely associated with:
Creating a vision for the future and
Communicating it, as well as the strategy or direction that needs to be taken
to achieve it to people in a such way that they will support it, commit to it and are
motivated to achieve it.
and Management with:
Planning and budgeting
Delivering quality to meet customers defined requirements and targets
Minimising waste
Delivery consistency
Delivering against budget
Delivery to plan
Organising resources, staff, jobs and systems.
Measuring, monitoring and reporting performance.
Problem solving to ensure the targets are met and changing conditions are
tackled.
all aimed at consistently delivering to the plan and budget and tackling issues as
they arise.
Of course, skilled management is required to plan, co-ordinate and control the
activities and resources required in order to implement the vision.
Sources of confusion
Another source of confusion is some writers that write about 'Management' include
Leadership as a subset. This takes the grand view as that 'Management' is all a
'Leader' or 'Manager' does and is the overarching concept.
This view of 'management' being the overarching concept is sometimes viewed as
useful by some practitioner managers and others that see the need to distinguish
between Leadership and Management as purely an academic exercise with which
they get bored.
Unfortunately this argument can distract from the fact that there are Leadership
competencies and Management Competencies and most roles individuals perform
require some of both. However, the emphasis and strength of need for each set will
vary considerably depending on the job you are doing, the situation and the needs
of the customers. stakeholders and organization.
Understanding the difference between the skill sets and their focus and impact is
useful in helping peopel obtain and develop these competencies and impact their
organisations, others around them and their own careers in the most impactful
manner.
People versus things
Another focus is the people element of leadership as Miller et al make the
following distinction between leadership and management:
‘Management involves using human, equipment and information resources to
achieve various objectives. On the other hand, leadership focuses on getting things
done through others. Thus you manage things (budgets, procedures and so on), but
you lead people.’2
Whilst this can help with the mental view of the two areas of Leadership and
Management it can confuse people 'on the ground' as they say 'I manage people' as
well as 'I lead people'.
Interrelated
Leadership and management are closely related and it is not easy to distinguish
them as separate activities in some situations hence the confusions which can
occur.
Today’s organizations are complex and need to be able to respond to increasing
economic, market and competitive pressures.
To succeed, they need effective management to control and improve
performance, processes and systems and effective leadership: to align their
people to the organization’s vision and motivate them to want to give their
best to achieve it.
Leadership involves a set of executed competencies that define a better future,
seize and creates opportunities and new models and inspire, enable and empower
other people to commit to delivering it. It sees the changes needed and makes and
delivers the transition from now to the new future with all is processes, systems,
resources and people.
Management involves a set of executed competencies that plan, budget, controls
and co-ordinates the resources, people, processes, systems and activities that will
make those plans a reality and then deliver consistently the goals and targets
required dealing with problems along the way.
Leadership and management can exist at any level in an organization within any
specific role reqgardless of the roles title.
Roles will vary in the depth, breadth and complexity of the
Leadership/Management combination of competencies that need to be exhibited
and executed in a successful manner.
To develop these competencies (Attitudes, Skills, Knowledge and Behaviours) it is
best to see Leadership and Management as separate competency/skill domains
which are then used by an individual according to the organisation and role
requirements, the situation/opportunities they face, the role they are in and their
own capabilities and abilities.
Leadership Skills and Qualities
Being a successful leader depends not only on your qualities and skills, but also on
the needs and expectations of the people you lead and the needs of the situation
itself. Understanding yourself and others will help you understand and respond
more effectively to these needs and expectations.
How to Be a Leader
To be a leader, you don't have to be an elected official, or a CEO. A leader is someone who
others consistently want to follow for new trends and ideas. A fancy title can make that happen
temporarily, but a true leader inspires steadfast loyalty with the steps below!
Part 1 of 3: Thinking Like a Leader
1
Be confident. This step has nothing to do with actually knowing what you're doing -- as long as
you're confident, few people will ask questions. People assume things, and when you act as if
you belong, they assume you do. Therefore, when you are confident, they will naturally assume
you know what you are doing. This gains you trust, responsibility, and respect.
o
Confidence can be had in any situation. Imagine saying, "I don't know the
answer," while looking down, thumbs twiddling, and your legs fidgeting. Now imagine saying, "I
don't know the answer," with your head up, your shoulders back, and looking the speaker in the
eye. Not knowing something is fine -- just be confident that you don't know it! A lack of
knowledge has nothing to do with your confidence (or ability to lead).
2
Be firm, but kind. Since you're leading, you're the one that needs to set the rules and
boundaries. It's up to you to establish some system, rhyme and reason to the situation. To do
so, you must be firm in your convictions and keep to your stance. However, being dictatorial will
instigate a revolution. Be logical and understanding when you assert your rule.
o
Here's an example of poor leadership: An airline's forks kept disappearing and no
one knew why. After an investigation, it was discovered the dishwashers were throwing them
away because they couldn't get them adequately cleaned (and would thusly be reprimanded).
[1]
If you're too dictatorial, your team will throw away your forks. Different management would
have avoided this problem. So be kind and keep your entire cutlery.
3
Become an expert. Saying, "I don't know" as a leader is fine. Saying, "I don't know" repeatedly
to every question you're asked is not. When you don't know something, find out the answer.
Become an expert on what you need to be a pro in. Eventually, you'll have all the answers. You
don't need them all right now, but you'll need each one eventually.
Having a certain level of knowledge will help you feel confident and more leader-
o
esque. While you can do without it, it's a matter of time before someone else with more
knowledge and charisma comes along and takes the title out from under your feet. So whatever,
whoever you're looking to lead, start studying up! It'll pay off in the long run.
4
Be decisive. You're standing in a circle of a group of friends, debating on what to do that night.
Everyone is dilly-dallying, complaining, nixing everyone else's ideas until one person finally
steps up and says, "Guys, we're doing this." That person rose to the top, saw the situation
needed direction, and took charge. Leader, leader, leader.
That being said, you have to know your place. There will be times when you have
o
to make the decision yourself and times when you have to give the team time to form a
consensus. Respect your followers -- what might happen if you veto their opinions? Which
brings us to...
5
Care about your followers. Just because they are not leaders doesn't mean they are idiots.
They'll be able to tell if you're compassionate and genuinely concerned for them. And if you're
not, they'll chuck you off your pedestal. Remember who butters your bread! Without them, you
have no one to lead and are a leader no longer.
o
Caring for them is not the same as acquiescing to their desires. You're leading
(hopefully) because you know what's best for the team; they may not. Just because someone
disagrees with you doesn't mean you have to give them what they want. Allow them to disagree
with you, listen to their argument, and let them know why you think the way you do. Let them
know you care, but are acting in the best way you see fit.
6
Believe that anyone can be a leader. Truth be told, everyone is looking to be led. Think of life
as a dark path -- the more leaders you have, the more people are in front of you holding
industrial strength flashlights. Which would you rather have? Not only do people want leaders,
but also they are looking for them. For that reason, anyone can do it. You just got to fill the void.
o
Think about going to a new restaurant (the restaurant is life). You get a waiter that
greets with you a smile and outlines the flavors of three of their best dishes, guarantees your
satisfaction and tells you he'll personally whip up something else if you don't like it. Somewhere
in your head, you are breathing a sigh of relief thinking, "Ahh. Yes. This will be a relaxing night -I'm in good hands." That's what everyone wants in life (in most restaurants, too).
Part 2 of 3: Acting Like a Leader
1.
1
Keep your promises. You know how politicians are viewed as promise-breakers? Good. You
also know how people hate politicians? Well, there you have it. Break your promises and you
lose respect. Point blank. You can fit the suit, you can have all the charisma, and you can have
the knowledge, but if you don't deliver on what you promised to deliver, the people will have you
silver platter.
o
An integral part of keeping promises is knowing what's doable and what's not. If
you can define between the two, the only other obstacle is being honest. Practice this with your
kids, practice this with your teammates, and practice this at every opportunity. Developing a
strong moral code removes room for those questioning your ability to lead and hold power.
2
Dress the part. If you walk into an office in a suit and tie, constantly glancing at your watch,
people are going to assume you're waiting for some schmuck who's late for a business meeting.
Walk into an office in a t-shirt and baseball cap and people will start wanting to know where their
pizza is. If you want to lead, you gotta look the part.
o
There needs to be a distinction here between dressing to impress and dressing to
influence. You don't necessarily want to dress to impress -- impressing may not be appropriate
for the scenario you're in (if you are delivering pizzas, don't wear a suit, for example). You simply
want to influence people's perceptions of you. What image do you want to give off? You can
largely control what they perceive of you and your attitude by what you wear (sad, but true).
3
Treat your team well. Alright, so you know to care about your team, but you gotta follow it up
with your actions. If you preach to your team to be cohesive, act like they're having fun, and be
friendly with your clients but turn around and yell at them every 5 minutes when they crack a
smile, you're not living out your message. Set forth a good, caring example, and they'll fall in
line.
The old adage, "Do as I say, not as I do" is crap. It might have worked on you
o
when you were 6 years old, but it will not work on a team of adults. They might not let you know
explicitly, but they will be unhappy, eventually leave, and this will cut into your product. It may not
have immediate repercussions, but eventually any hypocrisy on your part will catch up with you.
4
Show your commitment to your team's betterment. For your organization to grow, everyone
has to get better. This has nothing to do with just you being great -- you have to make your team
great. Ideally, the task will done and the team will say, "We did it!", not you exclaiming, "I did it!"
It's about the whole of the group, not the one.
o
To grow your team, you have to pay attention to them. Forcing numbers and
leaving them to figure out roles won't do them justice. Get to know them on an individual level
and commit to them becoming more resourceful members of your group (what role do they fit
best in? What resources could they use). Help them learn, help them grow, and help them take
the reins when you need back up.
5
Ask questions. As a leader, you're sort of untouchable. People may not come to you because
you're the big man of the organization. They don't want to pipe up and cause a ruckus. Know
that you're dealing with a constant level of perceived intimidation that you need to break down.
How do you do this? Ask questions first!
o
Don't wait for feedback from your team -- they may never offer it. After all, you're
the one dictating how things are going; they may not think their opinion matters. Ask them how
you're doing, how they're doing, and what they see to make the whole process better. Just
because they're not leading doesn't mean they're not full of great ideas!
6
Lead only when you have to. A natural leader does not walk into a room and proclaim, "HERE
I AM." It's not about grabbing a situation by the horns and molding it to your vision, no, not at all.
It's about seeing that something needs to be done and rising to the occasion.
o
In most situations, no leader will be titled as such. It's just a position that
someone naturally gravitates to. People will not grant you the outright privilege, but they can
keep you from having it. Avoid coming off as a dominant, who-does-he-think-he-is go-getter and
wait for the right moment. You'll feel it.
7
Start "seeing" more than "doing." As you have probably started gathering, being a leader is
more of an innate quality than a series of actions. To lead a situation, you need to see it arising,
see how you can help it, and see the path it's going down. Let your team take care of the doing.
You just gotta have a vision.
This is similar to "the one who yells loudest gets heard." Just because that
o
person is loud certainly doesn't mean they're right. You don't have to be going 90 mph leaving a
trail of rubble behind you to be a good leader. Actually, you shouldn't be doing that. Your time
should be spent interpreting, molding, and offering solutions.
Part 3 of 3: Putting It All Together
1.
1
Identify a problem. Look around and find ways to make the world a better place. Observe your
surroundings and listen to people. How can you help? What challenged has yet to be
answered? What could use organization?
o
Discover what your talents are, develop them, and focus on applying them
towards making a difference. What problems would your talents be best suited for? Think of
problems in the broader sense - they're not always easy to define.
o
Look for needs, niches, conflicts, gaps that need to be filled, and inefficiencies.
The solutions won't always be creative or cutting edge; sometimes they're the simplest things.
2
Think of the big picture. As you're solving problems (or simply improving what's already
satisfactory), you might notice patterns, and wonder if many of those issues are symptoms of a
deeper, bigger problem or construct. Thoreau once said, "For every thousand hacking at the
leaves of evil, one is hacking at the root." Take a step back and try to find the root. The deeper
matter is often not something anybody can solve alone; it'll require a group effort, which is where
your role as a leader comes into play.
o
If you are working closely with a team, use them to your advantage. What roles
dothey feel best suited for? How is their time being utilized? What ideas do they have that have
yet to be implemented? In many cases, growth is a matter of rearranging and refining -- not
necessarily a problem at all.
3
Be proactive. If you have these ideas in your mind about what the deeper issues are, you can
probably predict the problems that will crop up as a result. Instead of waiting for those problems
to appear, take steps to prevent them. If you can't prevent them, then you can at least prepare.
That's the core difference between a leader and a manager. A good manager responds well to
various situations; a good leader takes effective action to prevent and create situations before
they actually happen.
Don't be afraid to assign roles to your team! They may take solace in the label. If
o
you see a potential problem, construct a preventative task force. That's what your team is there
for, after all.
4
Make decisions and take responsibility for the consequences. To exert influence and tackle
bigger problems, you're going to need decision-making power, and those decisions will affect
the people who grant you that power. This is as much a responsibility as it is an honor. Not only
do you need to be able to make sound decisions, but you also need to be willing to be held
accountable to them. If things go wrong, people will assume it's your fault (whether it is or not).
Think of yourself as the captain of a ship; the fate of the ship is essentially in your
o
hands, and it's up to you to steer everyone in the right direction.
Exercise wisdom when being in charge; hope for the best and prepare for the
o
worst.
o
If you're not prepared to take responsibility for your decisions - if you struggle with
hesitation and self-doubt - it might be a good idea to step down. An insecure leader often
becomes a tyrant.
5
Share your vision. As a leader, you can see the bigger issues, but you can also see how things
could be so much better if we could just remove those obstacles. To get people to help you in
changing things, you need to share that positive vision with them. Inspire them. Motivate them.
Guide them. Show them how their actions are bringing everyone closer to that dream.
o
John Gardner is quoted to have said, "Most importantly, leaders can conceive
and articulate goals that lift people out of their petty preoccupations and unite them in pursuit of
objectives worthy of their best efforts." Let that be you.
6
Remember that it is about the entire team. The greatest leaders saw their role to an end, and
themselves, as an instrument of a deeper purpose; any glory, prestige, or wealth was a side
effect rather than a motivation. After all, nothing would get done with just the efforts of one man.
Or woman!
If you want to realize a vision, the most effective way to do it is not with an army
o
of drones; that army will only last as long as you do. For the most long-lasting results, share
your vision and let people adopt it as their own, and let it spread like wildfire.
Think of yourself as the beginning of a chain reaction--once it's begun, you can
o
step away and it'll continue to happen without any effort on your part.
Here's another apt quote for you -- this one from Lao Tzu: "A leader is best when
o
people barely know he exists. When his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say:we did it
ourselves.
Tips
"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more,
you are a leader." (John Quincy Adams)
Charisma is certainly helpful, but it's not essential. There have been many admired
leaders in the human history who weren't the friendliest, most charming of people in the bunch.
What was important, however, was that people trusted them, and they were inspired by his or
her vision. What you will need is good communication skills (whether it's through speaking,
writing, even art) so you can articulate your vision.
Help others to achieve their goals.
Help your team to achieve goals.
Always practice what you preach. There's no better way to lose your credibility as a
leader than to be a hypocrite.
Management & Leadership
At the most basic level, a leader is someone who leads other. But what makes someone a leader?
What is it about being a leader that some people understand and use to their advantage? What can
you do to be a leader? Here's what you need to know and do.
A leader is a person who has a vision, a drive and a commitment to achieve that vision, and the skills
to make it happen. Let's look at each of those in detail.
The Leader's Vision
A leader has a vision. Leaders see a problem that needs to be fixed or a goal that needs to be
achieved. It may be something that no one else sees or simply something that no one else wants to
tackle. Whatever it is, it is the focus of the leader's attention and they attack it with a single-minded
determination.
Whether the goal is to double the company's annual sales, develop a product that will solve a certain
problem, or start a company that can achieve the leader's dream, the leader always has a clear target
in mind. This is a big picture sort of thing, not the process improvement that reduces errors by 2% but
the new manufacturing process that completely eliminates the step that caused the errors. It is the
new product that makes people say "why didn't I think of that", not just a toaster that lets you select
the degree of darkness of the toast. Edison did not set out to build a better candle, he wanted to find
a whole new way to illuminate the darkness. That's the kind of vision a leader has.
The Drive To See It Through
It is not enough to just have a vision. Lots of people see things that should be done, things that
should be fixed, great step forward that could be taken. What makes leaders different is that they act.
They take the steps to achieve their vision.
Is it a passion for the idea, an inner sense of drive, or some sense of commitment? Whatever it is, it is
the strength that lets leaders move their vision forward despite all the obstacles, despite all the people
saying it can't be done, it's too costly, we tried that before, or a dozen other excuses. The true leader
perseveres and moves forward.
Trait And Skills A Leader Must Have
There are things that set leaders apart from other people. Some people are born with these
characteristics. Others develop them as they improve as leaders. These are not magic bullets. They
are things you can do and be if you want to be a leader.
Traits Of A Leader
There are as many traits of a leader as there ae lists of what makes a leader. Here are the
fundamental traits of a leader from my perspective:
Has integrity. People have to believe that you are pursuing your dream because it's the right
thing to do, not just because you are ego driven.
Is a people person. Understands the differences that make people unique and is able to use
those individual skills to achieve the goal.
Is positive. A leader encourages and rewards people and makes you want to do it and do it
right. A leader is not a negative person and doesn't waste time and effort tellng everyone what
they're doing wrong.
Leadership Skills
Beyond the personal traits of a leader, there are specific skills someone must master if they want to be
a leader.
Effective communication - it's more than just being able to speak and write. A leader's
communication must move people to work toward the goal the leader has chosen.
Motivation - a leader has to be able to motivate everyone to contribute. Each of us has
different "buttons". A leader knows how to push the right buttons on everyone to make them really
want to do their best to achieve the leader's goal.
Planning - the leader has a plan to achieve the goal. He/she doesn't get too bogged down in
the details, that's what managers are for, but rather uses a high level plan to keep everyone moving
together toward the goal.
Bottom Line
Leaders dream dreams. They refuse to let anyone or anything get in the way of achieving those
dreams. They are realistic, but unrelenting. They are polite, but insistent. The constantly and
consistently drive forward toward their goal. You can be a leader. You will be - when it matters enough
to you.
Posted on April 19, 2013 by Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute
There are many definitions of leadership. The Collins English dictionary defines leadership as “the
leader(s) of a party or group.” Yet true leadership is much more than that. A leader can be the CEO of an
organization, or a first year employee who leads his or her team to success behind the scenes. A leader
might lead through official authority and power, yet just as often great leaders lead through inspiration,
persuasion and personal connections.
So what is leadership? One great definition is:
“Leadership is the art of leading others to deliberately create a result
that wouldn’t have happened otherwise.”
It’s not just the creation of results that makes good leadership. Good leaders are able to deliberately create
challenging results by enlisting the help of others. They can single handedly turn failing companies into
Fortune 500 organizations. They can change company cultures. Good leadership is an essential key to
corporate success.
The Characteristics of a Good Leader
What makes a good leader? Here are some of their most important characteristics:
Self-Awareness. You have an intimate knowledge of your inner emotional state. You know your strengths
and your weaknesses. You know when you’re working in flow and you know when you’re over worked.
You know yourself, including your capabilities and your limitations, which allows you to push yourself to
your maximum potential.
Self-Direction. You’re able to direct yourself effectively and powerfully. You know how to get things
done, how to organize tasks and how to avoid procrastination. You know how to generate energy for
projects, to calm yourself when angered. You can make decisions quickly when necessary, but can also
slow to consider all the options on the table.
Vision. You’re working towards a goal that’s greater than yourself. It could be something small, like the
success of the team, or a larger vision like world peace. Working towards a vision is far more inspiring
than working towards personal gain.
Ability to Motivate. Leaders don’t lead by telling people what they have to do. Instead, leaders cause
people to want to help them. A key part of this is cultivating your own desire to help others. When others
sense that you want to help them, they in turn want to help you.
Social Awareness. Understanding social networks and key influencers in that social network is another
key part of leadership. Who in the organization has the most clout, both officially and unofficially? Who
moves the hearts of the group?
These are some of the most important characteristics of good leaders.
Emotional Intelligence and Leadership
Most of these traits tie directly into emotional intelligence (EQ). Leaders with high EQ are intrinsically
more self-aware. They understand their mental processes and know how to direct themselves. They’re
more in touch with what they’re deeply passionate about. They naturally care more for others and receive
more compassion in return. They’re more socially in tune.
Leadership is more often than not about “soft skills” rather than hard skills. Yes, a leader who understands
what drives the bottom line is valuable. Yet it’s the leader who can get others to perform at their best who
ultimately creates winning organizations.
Defining Leadership
Leadership Defined
‘Leadership is at its best when its vision is strategic, the voice persuasive and the
results tangible. In the study of leadership, an exact definition is not essential but
guiding concepts are needed’. Useem1
Definition of Leadership
Establishing a single definition of leadership has its challenges:
Leadership has many contexts: from political, military, business, sports and
culture, right through every level and section of society, our communities and
families
We all have our individual experiences and expectations of leadership: from
vision and inspiration to serving others or power and control
Views on what effective leadership is have evolved over time e.g. from
issuing orders to inspiring and empowering
Successful leadership is defined by the situation e.g. Winston Churchill is
not viewed as a particularly successful peacetime leader. Also, it is often remarked
that the leadership styles and strengths of CEOs employed in a crisis to
‘turnaround’ failing organizations are very different to those needed to grow them.
At its most basic, leadership in an organization can be defined as influencing others
to achieve the organization’s goals and deliver its vision.
Many writers have observed however, that in order to inspire and motivate people
to achieve these goals, the goals themselves need to be viewed as ‘worthwhile’ or
for some greater purpose. Delivering the organization’s goals needs to deliver a
benefit to customers, the community or society that is viewed as worthwhile.
Define Leadership - What is leadership?
Leadership is not an end in itself, but a means to bring out the best in people, to
inspire and motivate them to commit their energies, skills and talents to delivering
the organization’s vision.
As leadership is focused on the Vision it is all about the 'future' focus. Leadership
seeks to find new opportunities for individuals and the organization to be a success
in the future . That might mean dealing first with very difficult situations that
threatened survival today. In tackling those threats leadership still seeks to create
the better future and seize opportunities.
As leadership tackles the future it needs to empower and harness the capability and
potential of the people and other resources which can come together to make that
future.
To make the future and vision a reality and create and siee new opportunities
leadership is about delivering successful and useful change.
In all of that a key message is that leadership is all about behaviours that take the
people and organisation to a new future.
In making change work Leadership influences the behaviour and actions of
others.
Modern views of leadership have moved away from influence using authority,
position, command and control, to a focus on influencing by:
Relating to and connecting with people
Building trust
Motivating, inspiring and empowering people
Creating a compelling vision of the future
Communicating that vision in a way that builds commitment to it
Role modelling honesty and integrity.
One important footnote here is to recognise that Leadership is a set of
competencies and should not be thought as a particular personality trait or
perceived charisma.
Leadership and Management
It is very important to get to grips with the fact that Leadership is different from
Management. Quite simply they are not the same.
Unfortunately common language and parlance in business and the use of
organisational titles like 'Leader' and 'Manager' add to the confusion about
Leadership itself and Management itself.
This means than when looking to improve your 'leadership' or 'management' skills
and capabilities you must first stop using the terms as 'the same thing' or
interchangeably and recognise differences. This differentiation allows you to focus
to the specifics needed to enhance capability and performance in each area.
The other issue to get to grips with is the use of the terms 'leaders' or 'manager' to
refer to different layers in an organisation i.e. 'the leadership did x, y, z...' meaning
those in the top positions did 'x,y,z...'. Just because a person is at a certain level
does not mean they are a 'Leader'. They will require different 'leadership' and
'management' skills in their position to be effective. This is true of all positions as
'leadership' and 'management' will exist at all levels.
Considering the contrast between leadership and management provides another
way to arrive at a definition of leadership.
As with leadership, there is no single definition of management. Some common
themes around management include:
Getting work done through other people to achieve stated objectives
Planning, organizing, leading and controlling - Fayol’s Management
Functions
Clarifying objectives, problem solving, planning work, managing resources,
organizing and co-ordinating activity, measuring and controlling performance
Management is a complex set of interrelated skills and difficult to execute
successfully in a sustained manner.
Management in many ways seeks to ensure an organisation can deliver consistently
and predictably and produces outputs, products and services that meet the
customers needs for quality, at the costs required, within the budget time and time
again. With the complex nature of organisations today, their complex structures
and supply chains delivering this consistent performance in changing worlds and
markets in not easy.
Going to back to Leadership we see it is more closely associated with:
Creating a vision for the future and
Communicating it, as well as the strategy or direction that needs to be taken
to achieve it to people in a such way that they will support it, commit to it and are
motivated to achieve it.
and Management with:
Planning and budgeting
Delivering quality to meet customers defined requirements and targets
Minimising waste
Delivery consistency
Delivering against budget
Delivery to plan
Organising resources, staff, jobs and systems.
Measuring, monitoring and reporting performance.
Problem solving to ensure the targets are met and changing conditions are
tackled.
all aimed at consistently delivering to the plan and budget and tackling issues as
they arise.
Of course, skilled management is required to plan, co-ordinate and control the
activities and resources required in order to implement the vision.
Sources of confusion
Another source of confusion is some writers that write about 'Management' include
Leadership as a subset. This takes the grand view as that 'Management' is all a
'Leader' or 'Manager' does and is the overarching concept.
This view of 'management' being the overarching concept is sometimes viewed as
useful by some practitioner managers and others that see the need to distinguish
between Leadership and Management as purely an academic exercise with which
they get bored.
Unfortunately this argument can distract from the fact that there are Leadership
competencies and Management Competencies and most roles individuals perform
require some of both. However, the emphasis and strength of need for each set will
vary considerably depending on the job you are doing, the situation and the needs
of the customers. stakeholders and organization.
Understanding the difference between the skill sets and their focus and impact is
useful in helping peopel obtain and develop these competencies and impact their
organisations, others around them and their own careers in the most impactful
manner.
People versus things
Another focus is the people element of leadership as Miller et al make the
following distinction between leadership and management:
‘Management involves using human, equipment and information resources to
achieve various objectives. On the other hand, leadership focuses on getting things
done through others. Thus you manage things (budgets, procedures and so on), but
you lead people.’2
Whilst this can help with the mental view of the two areas of Leadership and
Management it can confuse people 'on the ground' as they say 'I manage people' as
well as 'I lead people'.
Interrelated
Leadership and management are closely related and it is not easy to distinguish
them as separate activities in some situations hence the confusions which can
occur.
Today’s organizations are complex and need to be able to respond to increasing
economic, market and competitive pressures.
To succeed, they need effective management to control and improve
performance, processes and systems and effective leadership: to align their
people to the organization’s vision and motivate them to want to give their
best to achieve it.
Leadership involves a set of executed competencies that define a better future,
seize and creates opportunities and new models and inspire, enable and empower
other people to commit to delivering it. It sees the changes needed and makes and
delivers the transition from now to the new future with all is processes, systems,
resources and people.
Management involves a set of executed competencies that plan, budget, controls
and co-ordinates the resources, people, processes, systems and activities that will
make those plans a reality and then deliver consistently the goals and targets
required dealing with problems along the way.
Leadership and management can exist at any level in an organization within any
specific role reqgardless of the roles title.
Roles will vary in the depth, breadth and complexity of the
Leadership/Management combination of competencies that need to be exhibited
and executed in a successful manner.
To develop these competencies (Attitudes, Skills, Knowledge and Behaviours) it is
best to see Leadership and Management as separate competency/skill domains
which are then used by an individual according to the organisation and role
requirements, the situation/opportunities they face, the role they are in and their
own capabilities and abilities.
Leadership Skills and Qualities
Being a successful leader depends not only on your qualities and skills, but also on
the needs and expectations of the people you lead and the needs of the situation
itself. Understanding yourself and others will help you understand and respond
more effectively to these needs and expectations.
How to Be a Leader
To be a leader, you don't have to be an elected official, or a CEO. A leader is someone who
others consistently want to follow for new trends and ideas. A fancy title can make that happen
temporarily, but a true leader inspires steadfast loyalty with the steps below!
Part 1 of 3: Thinking Like a Leader
1
Be confident. This step has nothing to do with actually knowing what you're doing -- as long as
you're confident, few people will ask questions. People assume things, and when you act as if
you belong, they assume you do. Therefore, when you are confident, they will naturally assume
you know what you are doing. This gains you trust, responsibility, and respect.
o
Confidence can be had in any situation. Imagine saying, "I don't know the
answer," while looking down, thumbs twiddling, and your legs fidgeting. Now imagine saying, "I
don't know the answer," with your head up, your shoulders back, and looking the speaker in the
eye. Not knowing something is fine -- just be confident that you don't know it! A lack of
knowledge has nothing to do with your confidence (or ability to lead).
2
Be firm, but kind. Since you're leading, you're the one that needs to set the rules and
boundaries. It's up to you to establish some system, rhyme and reason to the situation. To do
so, you must be firm in your convictions and keep to your stance. However, being dictatorial will
instigate a revolution. Be logical and understanding when you assert your rule.
o
Here's an example of poor leadership: An airline's forks kept disappearing and no
one knew why. After an investigation, it was discovered the dishwashers were throwing them
away because they couldn't get them adequately cleaned (and would thusly be reprimanded).
[1]
If you're too dictatorial, your team will throw away your forks. Different management would
have avoided this problem. So be kind and keep your entire cutlery.
3
Become an expert. Saying, "I don't know" as a leader is fine. Saying, "I don't know" repeatedly
to every question you're asked is not. When you don't know something, find out the answer.
Become an expert on what you need to be a pro in. Eventually, you'll have all the answers. You
don't need them all right now, but you'll need each one eventually.
Having a certain level of knowledge will help you feel confident and more leader-
o
esque. While you can do without it, it's a matter of time before someone else with more
knowledge and charisma comes along and takes the title out from under your feet. So whatever,
whoever you're looking to lead, start studying up! It'll pay off in the long run.
4
Be decisive. You're standing in a circle of a group of friends, debating on what to do that night.
Everyone is dilly-dallying, complaining, nixing everyone else's ideas until one person finally
steps up and says, "Guys, we're doing this." That person rose to the top, saw the situation
needed direction, and took charge. Leader, leader, leader.
That being said, you have to know your place. There will be times when you have
o
to make the decision yourself and times when you have to give the team time to form a
consensus. Respect your followers -- what might happen if you veto their opinions? Which
brings us to...
5
Care about your followers. Just because they are not leaders doesn't mean they are idiots.
They'll be able to tell if you're compassionate and genuinely concerned for them. And if you're
not, they'll chuck you off your pedestal. Remember who butters your bread! Without them, you
have no one to lead and are a leader no longer.
o
Caring for them is not the same as acquiescing to their desires. You're leading
(hopefully) because you know what's best for the team; they may not. Just because someone
disagrees with you doesn't mean you have to give them what they want. Allow them to disagree
with you, listen to their argument, and let them know why you think the way you do. Let them
know you care, but are acting in the best way you see fit.
6
Believe that anyone can be a leader. Truth be told, everyone is looking to be led. Think of life
as a dark path -- the more leaders you have, the more people are in front of you holding
industrial strength flashlights. Which would you rather have? Not only do people want leaders,
but also they are looking for them. For that reason, anyone can do it. You just got to fill the void.
o
Think about going to a new restaurant (the restaurant is life). You get a waiter that
greets with you a smile and outlines the flavors of three of their best dishes, guarantees your
satisfaction and tells you he'll personally whip up something else if you don't like it. Somewhere
in your head, you are breathing a sigh of relief thinking, "Ahh. Yes. This will be a relaxing night -I'm in good hands." That's what everyone wants in life (in most restaurants, too).
Part 2 of 3: Acting Like a Leader
1.
1
Keep your promises. You know how politicians are viewed as promise-breakers? Good. You
also know how people hate politicians? Well, there you have it. Break your promises and you
lose respect. Point blank. You can fit the suit, you can have all the charisma, and you can have
the knowledge, but if you don't deliver on what you promised to deliver, the people will have you
silver platter.
o
An integral part of keeping promises is knowing what's doable and what's not. If
you can define between the two, the only other obstacle is being honest. Practice this with your
kids, practice this with your teammates, and practice this at every opportunity. Developing a
strong moral code removes room for those questioning your ability to lead and hold power.
2
Dress the part. If you walk into an office in a suit and tie, constantly glancing at your watch,
people are going to assume you're waiting for some schmuck who's late for a business meeting.
Walk into an office in a t-shirt and baseball cap and people will start wanting to know where their
pizza is. If you want to lead, you gotta look the part.
o
There needs to be a distinction here between dressing to impress and dressing to
influence. You don't necessarily want to dress to impress -- impressing may not be appropriate
for the scenario you're in (if you are delivering pizzas, don't wear a suit, for example). You simply
want to influence people's perceptions of you. What image do you want to give off? You can
largely control what they perceive of you and your attitude by what you wear (sad, but true).
3
Treat your team well. Alright, so you know to care about your team, but you gotta follow it up
with your actions. If you preach to your team to be cohesive, act like they're having fun, and be
friendly with your clients but turn around and yell at them every 5 minutes when they crack a
smile, you're not living out your message. Set forth a good, caring example, and they'll fall in
line.
The old adage, "Do as I say, not as I do" is crap. It might have worked on you
o
when you were 6 years old, but it will not work on a team of adults. They might not let you know
explicitly, but they will be unhappy, eventually leave, and this will cut into your product. It may not
have immediate repercussions, but eventually any hypocrisy on your part will catch up with you.
4
Show your commitment to your team's betterment. For your organization to grow, everyone
has to get better. This has nothing to do with just you being great -- you have to make your team
great. Ideally, the task will done and the team will say, "We did it!", not you exclaiming, "I did it!"
It's about the whole of the group, not the one.
o
To grow your team, you have to pay attention to them. Forcing numbers and
leaving them to figure out roles won't do them justice. Get to know them on an individual level
and commit to them becoming more resourceful members of your group (what role do they fit
best in? What resources could they use). Help them learn, help them grow, and help them take
the reins when you need back up.
5
Ask questions. As a leader, you're sort of untouchable. People may not come to you because
you're the big man of the organization. They don't want to pipe up and cause a ruckus. Know
that you're dealing with a constant level of perceived intimidation that you need to break down.
How do you do this? Ask questions first!
o
Don't wait for feedback from your team -- they may never offer it. After all, you're
the one dictating how things are going; they may not think their opinion matters. Ask them how
you're doing, how they're doing, and what they see to make the whole process better. Just
because they're not leading doesn't mean they're not full of great ideas!
6
Lead only when you have to. A natural leader does not walk into a room and proclaim, "HERE
I AM." It's not about grabbing a situation by the horns and molding it to your vision, no, not at all.
It's about seeing that something needs to be done and rising to the occasion.
o
In most situations, no leader will be titled as such. It's just a position that
someone naturally gravitates to. People will not grant you the outright privilege, but they can
keep you from having it. Avoid coming off as a dominant, who-does-he-think-he-is go-getter and
wait for the right moment. You'll feel it.
7
Start "seeing" more than "doing." As you have probably started gathering, being a leader is
more of an innate quality than a series of actions. To lead a situation, you need to see it arising,
see how you can help it, and see the path it's going down. Let your team take care of the doing.
You just gotta have a vision.
This is similar to "the one who yells loudest gets heard." Just because that
o
person is loud certainly doesn't mean they're right. You don't have to be going 90 mph leaving a
trail of rubble behind you to be a good leader. Actually, you shouldn't be doing that. Your time
should be spent interpreting, molding, and offering solutions.
Part 3 of 3: Putting It All Together
1.
1
Identify a problem. Look around and find ways to make the world a better place. Observe your
surroundings and listen to people. How can you help? What challenged has yet to be
answered? What could use organization?
o
Discover what your talents are, develop them, and focus on applying them
towards making a difference. What problems would your talents be best suited for? Think of
problems in the broader sense - they're not always easy to define.
o
Look for needs, niches, conflicts, gaps that need to be filled, and inefficiencies.
The solutions won't always be creative or cutting edge; sometimes they're the simplest things.
2
Think of the big picture. As you're solving problems (or simply improving what's already
satisfactory), you might notice patterns, and wonder if many of those issues are symptoms of a
deeper, bigger problem or construct. Thoreau once said, "For every thousand hacking at the
leaves of evil, one is hacking at the root." Take a step back and try to find the root. The deeper
matter is often not something anybody can solve alone; it'll require a group effort, which is where
your role as a leader comes into play.
o
If you are working closely with a team, use them to your advantage. What roles
dothey feel best suited for? How is their time being utilized? What ideas do they have that have
yet to be implemented? In many cases, growth is a matter of rearranging and refining -- not
necessarily a problem at all.
3
Be proactive. If you have these ideas in your mind about what the deeper issues are, you can
probably predict the problems that will crop up as a result. Instead of waiting for those problems
to appear, take steps to prevent them. If you can't prevent them, then you can at least prepare.
That's the core difference between a leader and a manager. A good manager responds well to
various situations; a good leader takes effective action to prevent and create situations before
they actually happen.
Don't be afraid to assign roles to your team! They may take solace in the label. If
o
you see a potential problem, construct a preventative task force. That's what your team is there
for, after all.
4
Make decisions and take responsibility for the consequences. To exert influence and tackle
bigger problems, you're going to need decision-making power, and those decisions will affect
the people who grant you that power. This is as much a responsibility as it is an honor. Not only
do you need to be able to make sound decisions, but you also need to be willing to be held
accountable to them. If things go wrong, people will assume it's your fault (whether it is or not).
Think of yourself as the captain of a ship; the fate of the ship is essentially in your
o
hands, and it's up to you to steer everyone in the right direction.
Exercise wisdom when being in charge; hope for the best and prepare for the
o
worst.
o
If you're not prepared to take responsibility for your decisions - if you struggle with
hesitation and self-doubt - it might be a good idea to step down. An insecure leader often
becomes a tyrant.
5
Share your vision. As a leader, you can see the bigger issues, but you can also see how things
could be so much better if we could just remove those obstacles. To get people to help you in
changing things, you need to share that positive vision with them. Inspire them. Motivate them.
Guide them. Show them how their actions are bringing everyone closer to that dream.
o
John Gardner is quoted to have said, "Most importantly, leaders can conceive
and articulate goals that lift people out of their petty preoccupations and unite them in pursuit of
objectives worthy of their best efforts." Let that be you.
6
Remember that it is about the entire team. The greatest leaders saw their role to an end, and
themselves, as an instrument of a deeper purpose; any glory, prestige, or wealth was a side
effect rather than a motivation. After all, nothing would get done with just the efforts of one man.
Or woman!
If you want to realize a vision, the most effective way to do it is not with an army
o
of drones; that army will only last as long as you do. For the most long-lasting results, share
your vision and let people adopt it as their own, and let it spread like wildfire.
Think of yourself as the beginning of a chain reaction--once it's begun, you can
o
step away and it'll continue to happen without any effort on your part.
Here's another apt quote for you -- this one from Lao Tzu: "A leader is best when
o
people barely know he exists. When his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say:we did it
ourselves.
Tips
"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more,
you are a leader." (John Quincy Adams)
Charisma is certainly helpful, but it's not essential. There have been many admired
leaders in the human history who weren't the friendliest, most charming of people in the bunch.
What was important, however, was that people trusted them, and they were inspired by his or
her vision. What you will need is good communication skills (whether it's through speaking,
writing, even art) so you can articulate your vision.
Help others to achieve their goals.
Help your team to achieve goals.
Always practice what you preach. There's no better way to lose your credibility as a
leader than to be a hypocrite.
Management & Leadership
At the most basic level, a leader is someone who leads other. But what makes someone a leader?
What is it about being a leader that some people understand and use to their advantage? What can
you do to be a leader? Here's what you need to know and do.
A leader is a person who has a vision, a drive and a commitment to achieve that vision, and the skills
to make it happen. Let's look at each of those in detail.
The Leader's Vision
A leader has a vision. Leaders see a problem that needs to be fixed or a goal that needs to be
achieved. It may be something that no one else sees or simply something that no one else wants to
tackle. Whatever it is, it is the focus of the leader's attention and they attack it with a single-minded
determination.
Whether the goal is to double the company's annual sales, develop a product that will solve a certain
problem, or start a company that can achieve the leader's dream, the leader always has a clear target
in mind. This is a big picture sort of thing, not the process improvement that reduces errors by 2% but
the new manufacturing process that completely eliminates the step that caused the errors. It is the
new product that makes people say "why didn't I think of that", not just a toaster that lets you select
the degree of darkness of the toast. Edison did not set out to build a better candle, he wanted to find
a whole new way to illuminate the darkness. That's the kind of vision a leader has.
The Drive To See It Through
It is not enough to just have a vision. Lots of people see things that should be done, things that
should be fixed, great step forward that could be taken. What makes leaders different is that they act.
They take the steps to achieve their vision.
Is it a passion for the idea, an inner sense of drive, or some sense of commitment? Whatever it is, it is
the strength that lets leaders move their vision forward despite all the obstacles, despite all the people
saying it can't be done, it's too costly, we tried that before, or a dozen other excuses. The true leader
perseveres and moves forward.
Trait And Skills A Leader Must Have
There are things that set leaders apart from other people. Some people are born with these
characteristics. Others develop them as they improve as leaders. These are not magic bullets. They
are things you can do and be if you want to be a leader.
Traits Of A Leader
There are as many traits of a leader as there ae lists of what makes a leader. Here are the
fundamental traits of a leader from my perspective:
Has integrity. People have to believe that you are pursuing your dream because it's the right
thing to do, not just because you are ego driven.
Is a people person. Understands the differences that make people unique and is able to use
those individual skills to achieve the goal.
Is positive. A leader encourages and rewards people and makes you want to do it and do it
right. A leader is not a negative person and doesn't waste time and effort tellng everyone what
they're doing wrong.
Leadership Skills
Beyond the personal traits of a leader, there are specific skills someone must master if they want to be
a leader.
Effective communication - it's more than just being able to speak and write. A leader's
communication must move people to work toward the goal the leader has chosen.
Motivation - a leader has to be able to motivate everyone to contribute. Each of us has
different "buttons". A leader knows how to push the right buttons on everyone to make them really
want to do their best to achieve the leader's goal.
Planning - the leader has a plan to achieve the goal. He/she doesn't get too bogged down in
the details, that's what managers are for, but rather uses a high level plan to keep everyone moving
together toward the goal.
Bottom Line
Leaders dream dreams. They refuse to let anyone or anything get in the way of achieving those
dreams. They are realistic, but unrelenting. They are polite, but insistent. The constantly and
consistently drive forward toward their goal. You can be a leader. You will be - when it matters enough
to you.
