Leadership. It’s one of THE buzzwords of the past two decades. But how do we define it? What does it look like? Who does it apply to?
There are so many ways “leadership” is defined that it’s easy to get lost. I’ve borrowed my leadership definition from a collection others, but I regard it as clear and simple enough to be understood and desired.
Leadership is the influencing of the thoughts, beliefs, emotions and behaviors of others. It can be constructive or destructive. And the key is “influencing.”
FOR EXAMPLE
Consider this, a low-level manager of a Fortune 500 company, who has 25 employees who report to him/her, has a title and responsibilities. But if those 25 only do what the manager says because the manager has that title and the power to affect their futures, that’s not true leadership. The manager is not influencing the thoughts, beliefs, emotions and behaviors of the employees. The manager’s title, role, and perceived power are doing that.
On the other hand, one of that manager’s 25 employees has the ear and the respect of the other 24. Though that employee doesn’t have the power to affect the futures of the others, that employee is exercising leadership in ways that the manager isn’t. The employee is a leader.
Leadership is frequently misunderstood. Some think of leadership as only applying to people with titles and authority. I’ve encountered this in my coaching practice. People think the “leader” is the business owner, head football coach, U.S. Senator, or pastor.
But I’m persuaded that the call to lead is for everyone who has the opportunity to exercise influence. Of course that’s the company CEO, but it’s also the single mother with two children. Of course, it’s the Executive Director of a non-profit organization, but it’s also the high school custodian.
CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP
In the Christian understanding, leadership is an essential attribute of what it means to be Christ-like. In Romans 8:29, the Apostle Paul wrote, “…you have been predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.” Since even many non-Christians regard Jesus as a great leader, then being conformed to that image includes growing in leadership.
So, then what are the hallmarks of influential leadership?
CRITICAL LEADERSHIP TRAITS
I’ll begin with humility. Perhaps that appears counterintuitive. Humility is all-too-frequently regarded as a trait of the follower, not the leader. It may be thought of as weak or indecisive. These, and other similar notions, are reinforced by a controlling, lording-it-over attitude that is far too common among those in positions of authority. Haven’t we all experienced the overbearing, self-absorbed, boorish boss? If not, count yourself lucky.
Humility, properly understood, is the polar opposite of weakness – it is strength. Many decades ago, the president of a Bible school defined humility to me this way: “It’s understanding and being at peace with our place and role in the world.” This means being acutely self-aware, neither thinking too highly of oneself or too lowly.
It also means understanding that the highest form of influential leadership comes in the service of others. Again, this is not weakness, but strength.
Want to grow in leadership? Couple humility and service with other excellent attributes of leadership and it’s a recipe for people willing to “go to the wall” for the person in leadership.
ANOTHER TRAIT: EMPOWERING OTHERS
Among these excellent leadership attributes is the desire and ability to empower others. None of us is an island. No matter how gifted we are, we need others to accomplish great things. The leader who is secure and at peace doesn’t fear empowering others, but rather presses into it. The positive consequences are both corporate and personal. Corporate, in that this is the “rising tide lifts all boats” adage. Personal, in that each person feels valued and important, and is thus willing to give his/her best.
OTHER KEY LEADERSHIP TRAITS
Effective vision casting. Integrity. Good communication skills. Decisiveness. Self-awareness, that is, seeing one’s strengths and weaknesses, coupled with the willingness to self-examine. Authenticity. Trustworthiness. Perseverance. Genuine caring about others. Being relational with others.
Put these and more together and the outcome is leadership that leads by example. Leadership that inspires, motivates and brings out the best in others – again, whether one is a CEO or a single mother of two. And they are all attributes that we can work at developing and improving.
LEADERSHIP ON FILM: GIFTED HANDS
I’m reminded of the film “Gifted Hands,” starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. and based on the life of Dr. Ben Carson.
Ben and his brother grew up in a single-mom household, and the movie depicts them as typical boys, more interested in play, antics, and laziness than in study, work, and self-development.
But they had a mother who was determined to see her boys be everything God intended them to be. She set a powerful example with her hard work, tenacity, and love for her boys. She insisted they apply themselves in school and work at self-improvement outside of school. Their mother was both encouraging and demanding.
Ben grew up to be one of the most gifted surgeons of his era. At just the age of 33 he was promoted to the position of Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. At the time, he was the youngest chief of pediatric neurosurgery in America.
The ripple effect of his life, his leadership, and his medical practice simply cannot be measured. But the story behind the story is the leadership exemplified by his mother – a single mother of two, who demonstrated in a powerful way that everyone has a calling and potential to lead by serving.
COACHING EXAMPLE
I have a client who, over the course of eighteen months working together, has come not only to understand this, but to ingest it into her identity. When we first met, and I asked her to define “leader” and “leadership,” she saw this as the domain of the pastor, business owner, or politician. She did not see herself as a leader.
Fast forward, now she has taken on the identity of a Christ-like servant-leader. This has positively influenced every aspect of her life. Understanding the attributes of good leadership has come, but first she had to grasp who is called to be a leader.
Why?
Because the call to lead is part of our DNA as human beings. When we aspire to seek out and live out our leadership calling, no matter what our station in life is, we have the opportunity to live up to our potential, inspire and influence others to do the same, and thereby live out who we were created to be. That is abundant living.
Author: Guy Rodgers, Certified Leadership Coach. Meet with Guy.
