It’s best to start out this post with the reality that not all leaders are created equally. This is a quote I often reference when I am explaining leadership paradigms with individuals who seem to be frustrated with leadership above or below them. There are key factors in leadership that allow someone to grow as a leader.
Gifting
It may shock people to know that leadership is a spiritual gift. And this gift is not given out equally and distributed among people with exact portion sizes. It’s something that leaders inherently understand, that not all people in a leadership position actually can lead. Some people actually are no good at it. They don’t have a gifting of leadership and they haven’t honed in the learnings to be effective as a leader. Often times leaders are the ones sacrificing their preferences for the sake of those following them. If a leader is not doing so… you may be looking at someone who is leveraging a position for their own benefit and not actually carrying the gift of leadership. So don’t make the wrong assumption that all people who hold a leadership position can lead effectively… or at all for that matter. Not all people in a leadership position are gifted leaders.
Experience
Having said the above, I do believe leadership, though not equally distributed, can be learned, practiced, and honed. It is much more natural for some who have a gift of leadership than it is for others, and it will flow more intuitively for those who have the leadership gift. But ultimately, leadership quality is not something that is exclusive to a few gifted individuals. It can be worked on. And that work forms experience. And experience, in my experience, is the best teacher. Frankly, it has also been the most ruthless one. You can pinpoint a leader who is willing to hone in their leadership when they’ve gone through situations that were not well led through, gain experience, and come out of and grow from those same situations. It’s almost as if they came out more refined.
In the same vein, you’ll see a couple of trends in gifted leaders when they engage with a poorly led situation:
- Leaders will be actively looking for solutions.
- You’ll see the leaders in the scenario maintaining their character above all else.
- Usually the leader is the one who everyone is looking at to “crack”.
- You’ll often see them stop talking about the situation while in the situation and well before their counter parts.
- And you’ll see leaders shift their behavior to address the responses or pokes from those counterparts.
- During trying times you’ll also see leaders make hard decisions that elevate the organizations, people following them, and even the people they serve.
- And eventually, you will see great leaders take a stand and speak toward lessons learned in the engagement after the dust has settled down from the said engagement; not during, and not before.
Facing Reality
The unfortunate reality in this, is that most people who have a leadership position do not know they lack a leadership gifting. This is where we continue with the conversation at hand. As a leader, don’t assume a position makes a leader. As a matter of fact, John Maxwell would argue that is just the beginning rung of leadership influence. He would also say that “leadership is influence, nothing more and nothing less.” This can be positive for you as well, because you don’t need a title or position to have influence and certainly don’t need one to be a great leader inside your organization, which I’ll write about in a Tier Leadership Post to come. However, if positional authority is the bottom rung of influence, and that’s all you’re using to lead people… you’re likely falling into the reality check here.
Positional authority will never be enough to stir catalytic movement. And make no mistakes, leadership is all about movement. Anyone can put a title on themselves, but you cannot argue with facts. Leadership stirs movement and leaders have a responsibility to create movement that is positive.
We need leaders! We need leaders who inspire us, challenge us, make us want to lead better than we have before, to set the bar and set the stage for what a leadership paradigm could be. We need leaders to learn, grow, engage, and most importantly, sacrifice for those around them.
Don’t Assume
So look around your current leadership landscape and engage with leaders based on where you see movement. Don’t assume that you’re a great leader. And don’t assume your positional authority is actually leadership.
After all, leaders lead, all of the time, with everyone in the room, even when it hurts.
Give them your best, and I’ll see you out there.
leadershape 