Leadership is not bestowed upon those in positions of authority. Plenty of people with authority lack the key behaviors and qualities of leadership. Many lack wisdom. Many lack care. Many believe that giving orders is leadership, and they wonder why nothing gets done the way they’d hoped.
Nor is leadership confined to positions of authority. Anyone who has ever unlocked the potential of a group without resorting to force or coercion knows this to be true.
Ironically, if you have no position, you will be more directly exposed to the feedback that teaches you how to lead. If you have position, you might lean on force and coercion, or people won’t tell you things, and you’ll never get that real feedback.
For a quick lesson on this, I dare you to pick something that ought to be done and then insist to someone about it. “Here’s what ought to be done.”
Will they do it? Likely not, or at least not the way you imagined.
Then what? A leader will reflect on the not-doing as vital information.
What guidance did I fail to provide about the HOW? Or was I too prescriptive?
What did I fail to make clear about WHAT must be done? Or was I too detailed?
What did I fail to make clear about the higher intent (the WHY) behind doing it?
What did I fail to help them see about the situation, to make it all make sense?
Why would they ever bother to listen to anything I have to say in the first place?
You must notice the moments to ask these questions and pay attention.
If you lead, one key behavior change unlocks all the above. It’s the noticing bit. Want help with that? Let’s do it together on a complimentary 15-minute call.
Ben and David
StrategyTeaming.com