Leadership-Are You Flying?

One of the easiest things is to find something wrong with the leadership in others.  Yet, when it comes to looking at your own leadership, that 20-20 clear vision you had about others can become hard to see in yourself.  

One of the statements I hear from those who don’t think are leaders is that they weren’t born with leadership ability.  Here’s a little secret.  Leadership is about developing skills and disciplines.  Skills help you decide how to lead and disciplines enable you to carry out your leadership.  

You Don’t Have To Be Born With Leadership Qualities To Be A Leader 

A good leader with a long term goal must learn to be kind.  Kindness isn’t weakness.  It is about being polite to where you are considerate enough of others to lay it on the line.  People like following a leader who tells it like it is.  

You may be saying, I don’t believe that’s true.  There are plenty of leaders who are not kind.  And, you are correct.  But, these people are purely positional leaders. 

Their influence goes as far as the people they can hurt or subjugate.  A true leader is respected for who he is and his influence extends beyond those who have to follow him and includes many who want to follow.  

Develop skills and disciplines that make people want to follow you.  Be kind.  Be courteous.  Be considerate.  If and when you lose your leadership position you are much more likely to be treated well.  

Leadership Is About Vision 

To me, in my personal business coaching practice, leadership by the self-employed business owner is about vision.  Without a positive vision of the future and how you and the people around you have the potential and possibilities to grow things get stagnant. 

When things get stagnant it is difficult for you to maintain enthusiasm.  Guess what?  The same becomes true for your employees or associates.  Is that a good leadership style?  When I hear a small business owner say that he doesn’t want to grow, I cringe.  

I promise you that this outlook is leadership that takes one down a road to deadening uniformity and little enthusiasm.  Growth can take many forms.  It doesn’t necessarily have to be in increased sales.  

Let’s say you have a new marketing business plan you want to implement to improve your business.  If you aren’t enthusiastic about the vision for what it can accomplish and the benefits, who else will want to buy into you and what you are doing?    

Regardless, whether you are seeking individual or small business growth have a vision that is about improvement.  And, be enthusiastic about your vision. 

Leadership Is About Caring 

You may have heard the phrase; People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.  I have observed too many individuals, self-employed business owners, entrepreneurs and solo professionals forget to care.  They get caught up in the “all about me syndrome.”  That is negative leadership.  

Caring doesn’t mean bending over backwards to accommodate everyone.  Caring means listening and taking an interest in others. 

Then, when you make a leadership decision, others are more likely to follow because they know you care.  

Leadership—The Benefit 

When you have good leadership qualities your ability to attract quality people is enhanced.  Is it worth developing good leadership skills and disciplines?  If you feel that your business and your life would be better around quality people then the answer is a definitive, yes.  

Start today developing your leadership skills in kindness, vision and caring.  You will be pleased with who you attract to your business and life.  After all, the most important aspect of leadership is how you choose to lead yourself.