When you think about the definition of leadership, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Someone who tells others what to do? Someone in charge of a team or organization? Someone who inspires and motivates others to achieve goals?
Probably no other profession is less clearly defined. When someone says I’m a pediatrician or a cardiologist or an oncologist you might not know exactly how they do it, but you have a pretty good idea about what they do. Likewise, when someone says they’re a tax attorney or a teacher or a plumber, you know what they do.
A leader? Not so much. If you ask 10 people what their definition of leadership is, you’ll get 10 different definitions.
I know this firsthand. I have spoken with more than 30 leaders for my Let’s TAWK Leadership Podcast series and each of them had a different definition. Here are some examples.
Leadership is:
- Creating the big picture and bringing people along for the journey
- Empowering people
- Building relationships
- Being vulnerable and capable of getting out of the way
- Creating space for people
- Doing what you say you’re going to do – accountability and achievement
- Driving with purpose
- Being clear about communication, setting expectations, and leading with your head and heart
Of course, there are common threads – the importance of trust and integrity, for example – and the belief that being a manager and being a leader are distinct – but each leader I have spoken with has their own personal definition of leadership.
For me, leadership is about having clarity of purpose and vision. Where are you and the organization headed, and WHY are you headed in that direction? Leaders have the ability to inspire those around them to embrace the vision and they provide them with the tools and resources to do the work to achieve the vision. I think of leadership as showing someone they can be “more than,” allowing each person to own who they are as they move along their career journey. Leaders acknowledge that each person is unique, and they create the space for each person to be successful. And…great leaders say “please” and “thank you” and show appreciation.
So why should we care about “leadership”?
- Bad leaders are the number one reason people quit their jobs
- 84% of organizations anticipate a shortfall of leaders in the next 5 years (Brandon Hall)
- 40% of new leaders fail in their first 18 months because of poor fit, poor delivery or a poor ability to adjust to a change down the road (George Bradt, senior contributor, Forbes Magazine)
All too often people are promoted to leadership based on their individual performance or company seniority. Yet here’s the thing. Becoming a leader requires a different set of skills and behaviors. And new leaders need the opportunity to develop those skills and behaviors so they can become the unique leader that only they can be.
Learn more about the importance of leadership and how to become a great leader in my conversation with Dave Lorenzo on his Inside BS Show.
Are you planning to move someone into a leadership role, or are you a new leader? Keep it Real Leadership is a comprehensive, immediately applicable online program that will help you become the leader only you can be. Our next session starts June 16. Sign up today!
Till next time, keep it real.
Karen
