It is not uncommon to speak to people about leadership and hear the occasional comment about it being a buzzword or a concept that is hyped but fails to deliver substance. And let’s be honest, this can be the case sometimes when we confuse leadership with the perceived influence we assign to people with power or a title. I personally believe that unless you have been exposed to it, it can be quite difficult to truly appreciate the profound transformational impact that great leadership can have.
Leadership is a gift
So, what is leadership and how does great leadership look like? The simplest way to define leadership is to realise that you are not really a leader until people decide to follow you with their hearts and minds, because they are convinced that you are worthy of being followed.
Leadership is a gift you receive, not something you obtain. The gift I refer to is the time and effort of the people who decide to follow you. This is truly invaluable and as a leader you must recognise and acknowledge the investment people are willing to make in you and find ways to make that investment worthwhile for them.
One way of accomplishing this is through providing value. The value I am referring to in this case comes in the form of personal growth (you are helping them become a better version of themselves), purpose (you are enabling them to gain intrinsic satisfaction by engaging in activities that align with their values and aspirations), or both. Great leadership is all about others, not about you.
A good leader is able to craft a compelling vision of the future, rooted in a worthwhile purpose and guided by strong values, while enabling and empowering others from an implementation perspective to make it a reality.
Leadership is an amplifier
Great leadership has the power to shape the path and future of individuals, teams, companies, and nations, acting as a catalyst by providing a result that is much greater than the sum of all its parts. It becomes an amplifier, allowing the implementation of an idea to gain momentum through the efforts of everyone involved. Great leadership means adapting your style to the requirements of the team or individual, whether this is direction, reassurance, or encouragement.
Considering this amplifier effect helps to realise that the impact and consequences of good or bad leadership cannot be overstated. Leadership decisions you make on strategy and vision will drive teams towards specific goals, and the way in which these visions are crafted and communicated has the power to either attract or alienate different types of personalities.
The sum of all the personalities will then influence the composition of your teams and will drive outcomes that are aligned with the purpose and values set out by you and shaped by the team. Leadership is magnetic and will attract people that resonate with the leader’s vision or message. This means your leadership has a big role in shaping not only the results that you and your teams achieve, but the way in which they are achieved, and who comes along for the journey.
The ultimate goal is self-leadership
Does this mean that we should all strive to be better leaders? Definitely. You owe it to yourself and others to become a better leader so you can shape a better future, regardless of your current reach. But if we are all trying to be leaders, then who’s following? This is a question of scope and perspective.
You are simultaneously leading and following every day depending on the task. Leadership is not an obscure art reserved only for CEOs and heads of state. It can be scaled down to teams, families, and more importantly, to the self. Ultimately, being a better leader also applies to self-leadership and the ability to empower and enable yourself to follow the vision you have created for your life, which is rooted in your purpose and guided by your values.
What is one action you can implement this week as a result of reading this article? Give it a go and let me know how you go!
