Leadership Part 1
“True leadership is not found in those that point the way, but is found in those who physically lead for others to follow…” — Rick Cox
Part 1
I am of the belief ANYONE can become a good leader. I am also well aware there are those with natural gifts lending credence to their ability to lead, but that does not AND will not make them a good leader. Even though people have natural abilities in many areas this does not mean they will become proficient at them. Some have a natural ear for music as well as a natural gift for playing piano or whatever instrument, but without the discipline to turn the gift into a skill, the magnitude of the gift will not cannot reach its full potential.
With that being said, it is believed by the vast majority there are three methods by which people become leaders:
1. Ones personality traits make it “natural” for one to enter into leadership. This is known as, The Trait Theory.
2. During an emergency, crisis or event a person’s extraordinary qualities of leadership are seen as he/her rises to the occasion. This is known as, The Great Events Theory.
3. People choose to become leaders by learning and developing leadership skills. This is known as, The Transformational Theory. (This is the one most embraced and widely accepted).
What most of us have probably observed throughout our working careers however, are those who have become leaders through the “natural course of rising to the top.” In the same manner cream rises to the top, those in leadership can as well. During the process and work of making butter the cream rises to the top; the same happens with leaders. During the process of performing their work they begin to rise to the top. The work itself brings out certain skills and qualities others do not exhibit, so by nature, as they begin to carry out these skills and qualities, they rise as leaders.
Leadership is the process of influencing others to achieve or reach an objective. It is the way one directs those around him/her to make the process more unified and consistent. People naturally gravitate to leadership therefore, those exhibiting these skills and qualities find others looking to them for direction and purpose. The next thing you know they are leading many yet, no one has given them a title.
The most important factor to see is what happens to the leader after taking on or filling a position of leadership? More often than not, nothing happens. The person fills the position then does nothing to grow any further. His/her natural abilities get them in the position, but they do nothing to become the leader required to achieve the next level and beyond. The leadership stagnates and the company grows no further. The reason is obvious: the leader has no vision or ability to see any further and thus to take the company any farther. This is because it will take more knowledge and more skill to achieve the next level of sales or productivity and the leader is not willing to discipline him/her self to make this happen.
Then there are those who want to lead. They have been in their position the longest or have been with the company the longest. They see the pay raises, benefits, respect and admiration gained by taking on this position and placement. Recognizing these benefits, their approach to becoming a leader is to ask their employer or supervisor to give them a title; for if they have a title others will listen, follow, and respect them. Nothing could be further from the truth. A title will not cause others to follow you, let alone “want” to follow you; it will not cause others to respect you, nor will it will cause others to believe in you. These benefits and this position must be earned. Placing someone in a position of leadership when they have not earned it can be very detrimental in any company for it always leads to schism and strife.
There are however, proper ways to be promoted as well as proper ways to promote…
Best of LUCK as you
Labor Under Correct Knowledge…
Respectfully,
Rick Cox