Leadership: It Is About You

There seems to be an ongoing attempt to recycle, re-package, re-label and microwave new leaders into  existence. Yet that approach must be important, fascinating, or both, because it's a huge moneymaker. Look at this:

Leadership books at Amazon: 72,587  vs. 26,086 for Nutrition & Diet. There are twice as many authors and publishers banking on people wanting to become leaders than paying attention to staying alive long enough to get there.

Google the word "leadership" and you can spend the rest of your lunch break reading your choice of 160,000,000 results. Want to know the definition of "leadership"? No problem. There are 9,650,000 search results for "leadership definition". That one got me thinking: "If we have so many people concerned about leadership (a good thing), what happens if they all define it differently (a potentially confusing thing).

Pause for just a moment. If you were asked by a "leader" how you define that role, what would you say?

Leadership Definitions From Four Experts:

• Peter Drucker: "The only definition of a leader is someone who has followers."
  
  
• John C. Maxwell: "leadership is influence - nothing more, nothing less."
  
  
• Warren Bennis:  "Leadership is a function of knowing yourself, having a vision that is well communicated, building trust among colleagues, and taking effective action to realize your own leadership potential."
  
  
• John W. Gardner: Leadership is the process of persuasion and example by which an individual (or leadership team) induces a group to take action that is in accord with the leader’s purpose, or the shared purposes of all.”

Can You Find the Similarities?

One striking similarity for me is that none of the definitions includes rank or title. Three of the four are explicit about influence and persuasion. Two of the four state or imply process and potential vs. "I've reached it!"

But my personal favorite is Drucker. He's saying "Look over your shoulder. If you don't see anyone, you're not leading." More importantly, if you have followers, you better recognize that you're leading!

Some food for thought:

• If it's really that simple, then why do you and I, along with thousands of others, meditate on the deep meaning of "leadership?"

• Do individual definitions vary so much that leaders simply can't win when employees are surveyed?

• Could part of the problem be that you and I won't let someone lead because we refuse to be followers? (Instead of arrogant, "sucky" leadership, perhaps we have some arrogant, "sucky" followership.

• If it's all about influence and being influenced, what gets in the way?

Leadership, stripped bare, involves two elements:  the boldness to stand up and lead, and the humility to stand up and follow. I'm wondering if the bigger leadership challenge may actually rest with the second.

 

Comments

[Mike Myatt]

Hi Steve:

Thanks for tackling this subject. I agree that defining leadership is important, so important I a few years back I created a definition that made sense for me:

“Leadership is the professed desire and commitment to serve others by subordinating personal interests to the needs of those being led through effectively demonstrating the experience, humility, wisdom and discernment necessary to create the trust & influence to cause the right things, to happen for the right reasons, at the right times.”

[Phil Gerbyshak]

So simple yet so powerful Steve, and on your birthday no less.

The way you close this is such a great reminder to us all. I've got a few new leaders that need to hear this. Thanks!

[Tim Milburn (@timage)]

Steve. I'm starting to lean more and more into the idea that leadership is a willingness to take on responsibility. You can't necessarily choose to be a leader, but you can choose to be responsible. If one is willing to take responsibility, there may be others who are willing to step in and help carry the load.

I really like the simplicity and back to basics feel of this post. Thanks for reminding us all how much noise there is out there in the leadership universe.

[Blogging4Jobs]

This line is a kicker: "the boldness to stand up and lead, and the humility to stand up and follow"

As you said, leadership IS a group activity. We've all seen teams that don't work because everyone wants to be the leader, or meetings that get nothing done because things stop at the "idea" phase as endless conversation stops the group from committing to one direction. And it might very well BE because we have different ideas of what leadership is, but not enough conviction to persuade our own set of followers.

You've asked some heavy questions of us here, and the answer is certainly not easy! -JMM

[Stephan de Villiers]

The profound is often found in the simple. Without making it as complicated as some people want to make it you cut through to the core of successful personal leadership - humbleness.

[Ilana]

For me, a leader is a person who:
1) Leads people,
2) Influences people,
3) Commands people, and
4) Guides people.

Overall, he is the person who is always there for his/her followers.

[Prince Smith]

What a very motivational article here! Thanks a lot for sharing this brilliant thoughts about what leadership really is! Two thumbs up! :)

[Mandy Garsia]

I like John C. Maxwell's description: "leadership is influence - nothing more, nothing less."

And i totally agree to that. Leader has to had something more than regular one, the power of him must seen by others and be respectful

[Jobs In My Area]

amazing post! this was really helpful information for me.

[Ioana Lazarov]

Hello,

A thought provoking article. :0)

One question remains: if there is so much literature on effective leadership styles, how come so many do such a poor job of it?

Is anybody doing any more reading prior to or once reached leadership level?

I guess it's easier to 'pretend' one leads than to follow or implement the leadership ideas or results... :0)

[Kent Julian]

Thanks for sharing this awesome post Steve. What you said about Leadership involving two elements: the boldness to stand up and lead, and the humility to stand up and follow, made me realized that being a leader essentially requires to a lot to take action and live it forward! Faith without action is dead, and so is a person who wants to breakout of mediocrity but refuses to take action. What good is it to expecting great things and practice self evaluation if neither is attached to action. As the saying goes, “A one hundred mile journey begins with just a single step.” So take that single step today and start living it forward.

Keep up the great work Steve and keep your posts coming!