Leading Everyday - Your are leader if...

For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be in management. In the early years, the word leader, or leadership, never even crossed my mind. I knew I wanted to be in a position of authority with a big company and make good money. Not only did I have no idea of what management meant, but I was also even more clueless about leadership.

However, as I began my management journey early in my career, it wasn’t until after that I realized that I needed to be more than a manager and transition into a leadership role. I am grateful to say that, thus far, my leadership journey has been a rewarding one. I have learned many lessons through trial and error. I have failed plenty of times, but I also have made sure I learned from those lessons and did not repeat the same mistake that led to failure. 

The general school of thought about leadership is that you must have a title to be a leader. And to do that, I say, “You are correct”! So if you have the title of mom, dad, uncle, CEO, manager, etc... then you are a leader. But also, are you an effective leader, and are you putting your role into practice for the good and benefit of others? 

Here are three things that will determine if you are a leader, effective, and selfless: 

Take the initiative – you are a leader if you see a need and fill the need. You open your eyes to problems, jump in to find a remedy and ease the pain of those most affected. Taking the initiative means you are responsible and accountable. Many don’t want to assume responsibility for various reasons. They might feel ill-equipped. They might fear failure and criticism. Or they don’t care and are selfish and live by the mantra “to each their own.” But not a true leader. So, if you are taking the initiative and driving results for the benefit of others, you are a leader. 

You want to see others succeed – Leaders must invest time developing themselves to help build others. It’s like the instructions you are given on an airplane before take-off, “if we should lose cabin pressure, please put on your oxygen mask first before you can help someone else.” However, the leader’s primary goal for developing themselves is to help others grow in their jobs, progress in their careers, and mature professionally and personally. 

You model what you expect – it’s not enough to be exceedingly expectant of others. Leaders model what they desire. Leaders must set an example if they want team members to attend meetings on time, treat others with respect, and many other good standards that leaders should be displaying. If you want your team to perform their jobs excellently, then you, as a leader, must also perform your job excellently. The mantra “do as I say, not as I do” was spoken by someone clueless about leadership. Your work team, children, and others who look up to you are likelier to do what they see you doing than what you say. So, model the behaviors you expect at work, at home, and in social circles. 

What else can you add to what makes an effective and selfless leader?