A TITLE DOESN'T MAKE YOU A LEADER

“If you think you are leading and no one is following

 then you are only taking a walk” ... Afghan proverb

The term "leader" is thrown around a lot and misused even more. As soon as someone has a position wherein they  have reports, they will quickly call themselves a leader.  But a title and accountability for a team, does not make you a leader. 

I have heard many more stories about "bad bosses" vs. "good leaders." And at one point you have to wonder why is this the case? Obviously people are promoted because of their competence, otherwise why would they be put into a managerial, director or executive role? And "ay, there's the rub", as Hamlet would say. People are promoted into "leadership" roles when they have shown individual excellence or even brilliance, but that does not make them a good "leader" or even a good candidate for "leading" others.

And I'm not blaming the promotees -- it is the promoters who should be questioned.

a) Perhaps you are concerned that you will lose a high-performer if you don't promote him or her. What you don't realize is that by promoting this non-leader into this role you will potentially lose other high performers and the team machine which until now had been successful will inevitably come to a grinding halt.

b) The person has indicated that they want more responsibility, and because you aren't that creative, (or your organization doesn't enable you to be) you just figure, "well, I'll put them in charge of others. Oh, and I won't give them any training or coaching on what leadership means...they're smart, they'll figure it out." And then when it doesn't work out, well, you blame them -- should be pointing the finger right back at you.

The other problem is that the compensation systems in organizations are most often not geared to provide highly effective individual performers with enhanced compensation. Most companies are still mired in the "when you have a title you'll get paid more" paradigm. And guess what this means? You have to promote unqualified people into leadership roles.

I consider myself to be a good leader. 

I believe leaders need to be inspirational. A leader  needs to support his/her teams. He needs to strip away the barriers to the teams success. She can't be in it for her own ego. A good leader creates an organization with a soul. He says thank you. She laughs together with her team. He lifts their spirit even when the going is tough. She encourages risk taking and by the way ...it's OK for someone to make a mistake, because that means they are taking a risk. He gets to know members of his team  as a people and he lets them know him. It is a place where people love to work and they do amazing things in this environment -- so much that it makes their leader look good, although she always gives them credit for an idea and a job well done.

And when you are no longer their leader, they will remember you and the example you were. Just like we all remember the great teachers we had, who "changed" us, so to do we remember the great leaders we had an opportunity to work with. They made us better, often beyond what we thought we could be.

So don't put on a title and think you are a leader. True leadership takes work, commitment and a love of  helping others excel!

To lead people, walk beside them ...
As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence.
The next best, the people honor and praise.
The next, the people fear;
and the next, the people hate ...
When the best leader's work is done the people say,
"We did it ourselves!"
...Lao tzu