Part I
What it Takes to Be a Leader
āLeading by example sounds like a lot of hard work . . . couldnāt I just rule by fear and loathing like Grandpa?ā
Glenn Lumsden
In this part . . .
This part gives you the grounding you need to become a successful leader. You find out what leadership is and what it isnāt. I take you through the realities of leadership and show you that the ways you lead people can change, depending on the situation and your followers. As well, I outline the characteristics of a leader and explain the different leadership styles and the different leadership roles ā or āhatsā, which you need to wear comfortably, with confidence and a touch of panache. Finally, I help you identify your personal path to success.
Chapter 1
What Leaders Are and What Leaders Arenāt
In This Chapter
Knowing what leadership is
Understanding different types of leaders
Knowing where to find your leadership strengths
Recognising what leaders actually do
Getting to know your inner self
Leading with your heart, mind and hands
Can you imagine a world without leaders? Who would help you achieve the goals you want to achieve? Who would provide the energy you need when your spirits flag or when you feel overwhelmed? Who would stand up and speak out in a crisis? Who would organise people to focus on a goal and work together to achieve it? Who would give you something to strive for and help you grow to improve your skills?
Leaders are needed in all walks of life. Rock groups and orchestras need leaders. So do museums, sports teams, cafĆ©s, clubs, pubs and hotels. Volunteer groups, science labs, countries and major corporations need leaders. Leadership is everywhere and leaders come in all shapes and sizes. Some are tall, some are short, some are geeks, some are athletes. Some leaders are formally appointed; many are not ā some people just naturally go to these āunofficialā leaders with ideas and questions and ask for advice and assistance because of the way these people show personal leadership qualities or expertise.
On the surface, various leaders may seem to be different, but what these leaders do is essentially the same. An amazing 18,890 books on leadership are available on Amazon.com, all purporting to know the secrets of leadership.
But leadership has no secrets. There arenāt any magic tonics, mysterious rituals or special skills known to only 18,890 authors who are prepared to share them. What is important about leadership ā and what I share with you in this book based on my work in the field ā is a lot of common sense, as well as tested principles of leadership that are divided into general approaches or specific strategies that can make you a successful leader.
Defining Leadership
A fun activity for leadership-training programs is to ask people attending for their definition of leadership. A leader on one program said:
āLeadership isnāt about making people work; itās about letting people work.ā
Another person said:
āA leader is not a teller but a guide.ā
Hereās another definition of leadership that I like:
āLeadership is getting things done through others.ā
If you take two organisations, which are absolutely identical in every way ā in products, technology, buildings, systems, equipment and so on ā the organisation with better leaders performs better, every time. Leadership is essential to getting results because leaders ā not plant, equipment and technology ā establish and communicate a vision and set goals worth working towards. Leaders focus their followersā efforts, harness their energies and help them flourish.
Japanese people have a saying that leadership is like air ā necessary for life, but impossible to see or touch. Leadership is an elusive quality that inspires, persuades and shows followers the way. Leadership is strengthened by invisible but powerful qualities and skills, such as integrity and courage, a sense of fair play, self-mastery, clear thinking and honesty. (I examine these aspects of leadership in Chapters 2, 3 and 4.) Leadership is also a state of mind. Leaders need to want to lead and to feel like leaders.
Confucius taught that talent, virtue, behaviour, character, conduct, education and ability ā not birth or blood ā make a person worthy to lead. He also taught that leaders should exist only for the welfare of those they are leading; and leaders who abuse their power lose their mandate to lead. Thatās a powerful leadership state of mind and one paralleled in recent corporate history, which has seen a number of leaders of failed corporations deposed and even jailed.
