What it Means to Be a Leader

May 31, 2023

What it Means to Be a Leader

What exactly is leadership?  I’ve asked a number of colleagues recently and received a variety of different answers.  if you search “leadership books” on the Amazon.com website and you will receive over 50,000 entries.  Here is one definition:

“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.” ~John C. Maxwell, author and speaker

Many people feel we are in a leadership crisis.  The news carries stories almost daily of politicians and business leaders behaving unethically.  It is time for leaders to step up to help lead us out of our current leadership crisis.

Here are a few key tips on improving your leadership skills that seem to be recurrent themes from multiple sources:

  1. Create a Strategic Vision – Leaders need to be able to articulate the way the organization will look in the future. This needs to be based on seeing the “big picture” and both the external and internal environmental forces and trends that impact their industry.
  2. Communicate Clearly – The vision must be communicated clearly, logically and with excitement. People want to succeed and go in the right direction, but they need to know which direction to follow and how to define success.
  3. Obtain Resources – A leader removes barriers to success by obtaining resources to achieve the vision. People, material, systems, and processes need to be acquired and put into place where needed.
  4. Empower Others – Once you have communicated your vision, a leader must trust employees and empower them to act. People respond to praise and encouragement to continue to push towards accomplishments.
  5. Behave Ethically – Organizational leaders must take action within ethical standards. Ethical leaders inspire respect and trust and become a role model for others to emulate.  Leadership is not a popularity contest. Leadership is about doing the right thing at the right time rather than the popular thing.

The time for strong leadership is now.  Will you be the one who steps up to lead in your organization or community?

“A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.” ~Rosalynn Carter, former first lady of the United States

Management Skills Resources is pleased to offer the workshop Work of Leaders which uses the framework of Vision, Alignment, and Execution.  http://managementskillsinc.com/workshops/leadership-workshops/  To discuss your training plan, contact us at: Deborah.Avrin@ManagementSkillsInc.com or call 214 564 6068