Have you ever stopped and tried to define the essence of leadership? Is it filling a position? Is it doing a particular job? Is it having a certain identity? Our understanding comes most quickly when we have seen a "portrait" of a true leader - a snapshot from real life.
Basic truth: All effective leaders possess the four primary qualities of leadership: character, perspective, courage and favour.
FACT: Leadership always begins with a need.
FACT: Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.
Even if we do not "feel" like leaders, we must realize that leadership can be summed up in one simple word: influence. Influence is something that every person has. As I said in the previous chapter, sociologists tell us that even the most introverted person will influence 10,000 people in his or her lifetime! And if we are intentional about being leaders, think how many more people we will influence!
Common Threads of Great Leaders
Three actions they take:
- Cast vision: Leaders possess and communicate a picture of their goals to others.
- Implement strategy: Leaders understand and implement steps towards reaching the goals.
- Empower people: Leaders mobilize and equip people to join them in the cause.
Three atmospheres they make:
- Sense of destiny: Leaders have a picture of what they want and feel destined to fulfill it.
- Sense of family: Leaders promote an atmosphere of support and belonging; no one feels alone in the task.
- Militant spirit: Leaders possess a resolve to reach the goal whatever the cost or sacrifice.
The Primary Colours of Leadership
- Character enables the leader to do what is right… even when it is difficult. The first primary colour of leadership is character. Character is the foundation on which the leader's life is built. It all begins with character because leadership operates on the basis of trust. "The only thing that walks back from the tomb with the mourners and refuses to be buried is the character of a man. What a man is survives him. It can't be buried." J.R. Miller
Character works for a leader in 4 essential ways:
- Communicates credibility
- Harnesses respect
- Earns trust
- Creates consistency
"Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But, if you must be without one, be without strategy." General H. Norman Schwarskop
Required ingredients for character:
- Development of personal discipline
- Development of personal security and identity
- Development of personal convictions, values and ethics
- Perspective enables a leader to see and understand what must happen to reach the target. The second primary colour for healthy, effective leadership is perspective. Jesus began his training of his 12 followers by working on their perspective. He worked on their vision and how they saw life. He knew if he could get them to think differently, he could get them to act differently.
Character is essential, but everyone can have good character. Perspective is the first quality that separates leaders from followers. Leaders think differently than followers. They envision differently from followers. They see beyond, they see bigger, and they see before followers do.
Leaders see the big picture and the little process...
- The first choose their Vision (what is the goal?)
- They then choose their Venue (what is the strategy to reach it?)
- Finally, they choose their Vehicles (what systems to use to move ahead?).
In 1982, Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida finished work on the Epcot center. It was a marvelous park, and the date was set for the grand opening. Since Walt Disney had already passed away, the Disney executives asked his wife to cut the ribbon and say a few words. When the Master of Ceremonies called her up to the podium, he smiled and said," "Mrs. Disney - I just wished Walt could have seen this!" She smiled and responded by saying, "He did."
Steps for developing perspective...
Anyone can develop perspective in their life if they choose to think differently. Below are six steps to help enhance your perspective.
- Watch the news or read the newspaper and ask: What could be done to solve these problems?
- Choose a crisis and list solution steps you would take if you were in charge.
- Groom the optimist in you. Read and listen to positive books and tapes. Feed yourself with big ideas from great people.
- Write out your dreams. What would you attempt to do if you did not fear failure?
- Interview a visionary leader. How do they think? How do they perceive things?
- Identify one burden you've embraced. Set some goals to address it.
- Post photos, pictures, and quotes that represent your goals and dreams in your room
- Courage enables the leader to initiate and take the risk to step out toward a goal. With only character and perspective, a leader may still lack action. Only courage enables a leader to step out and practice the vision they possess inside of themselves. The only measure of what we believe is what we do. If we want to know what people believe, we don't read what they write, we don't' ask what they think, we just observe what they do. Our personal lives shrink or expand in proportion to our courage.
Courage is
- Contagious.
- Initiating and doing what you are afraid of doing.
- Power to let go of the familiar.
- Vision in action.
- Risking and seizing what is essential for growth.
Courage includes...
- Making and keeping commitments
- Building the capacity to take risks
- Lobbying for a breakthrough in a cause
- Favour. Finally, a leader must display relational skills to mobilize people. Favour enables a leader to attract and empower others to join them in the cause. Without favour, a person may reach a goal, but may fail to take anyone with them. Leaders, by definition, always have followers.
If we have character, perspective and courage, we will likely become an entrepreneur who attempts great things in our life. However, we may be acting alone. The entrepreneur often travels alone. Leaders always take others with them.
Key Elements…
- Communication: Leaders must develop listening skills and the ability to share ideas convincingly.
- Motivation: Leaders must mobilize others for mutual benefit and empowerment.
- Delegation: Leaders must share their authority, responsibility and ownership of the vision.
- Confrontation: Leaders must have backbone and be able to resolve relational differences.
- Reproduction: Leaders must be able to equip and train a team of people to accomplish the goal.
Dr. Tim Elmore is a communicator, author, illustrator, and visionary leader. He is Vice President of EQUIP, a non-profit organization founded by Dr. John C. Maxwell to develop leaders around the world. Tim is also the founder of www.growingleaders.com a resource ministry dedicated to developing leaders and mentors among the next generation. In addition to service to folks like Elton John, the Beach Boys, KISS, John Denver, Styx and Olivia Newton-John, he has a passion for leaders. He and his wife and two children live in Atlanta, GA.
Used with permission of GrowingLeaders.com
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