“How can someone just tell everyone what to do? Don’t they have to do something themselves? I don’t get that definition of “leadership”… People should have to work more…”
Think about that for a minute…
WHAT DOES LEADERSHIP MEAN TO YOU?
Sometimes it’s the loan wolf barking orders. Sometimes it’s the uber-motivational person giving a rah-rah session. Sometimes it’s the demanding boss that always knows what’s best for everyone. Sometimes it’s the inspirational team organizer. And on and on.
Too often people think they’re great leaders when their ego gets big enough. When they have enough credit. When they can delegate everything and get things done for them. Unfortunately those things along lead to a “me, me, me” paradigm.
That needs to shift.
What is sometimes left out is: Leadership (real leadership) is creating more leaders. It’s not being the best or being feared or being in the spotlight all the time. Go figure.
That being said let’s talk about…
TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN
“Leadership” is a very common business term and most people know what it is or think they do.
“Mentoring” is a very common business term and most people can’t tell you exactly what it is.
What’s the point here?
THE CONNECTION THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN
Great leaders lead people. Amazing leaders create harmony, unity and help other people become amazing.
How can you do this?
It isn’t easy but it can be done, has been done and somebody’s doing it today. (Hint: Want to shorten your learning curve? Find these people and ask them how they’re doing it. Just sayin’).
Real leaders get off their soap box, step out of the spotlight when they need to and let other people step into the spotlight. They build successful teams that allow them (as leaders) to climb higher than they ever could alone. Leaving euphemisms behind us:
When it comes to leadership: Your job is to make other people amazing. This happens through mentoring.
The work comes in on your way to the top. People respect you more when you’ve done what you’re asking (or telling) them to do.
Why?
- You have to have walked in their shoes first – teach them what you did and then help them become better at it than you were or are.
- Your stepping stones, failures and successes become their lessons to grow personally and professionally.
- You shorten their learning curve which increases your leadership skills – your team as a whole performs better.
NOW & LATER
This is why you need to be the best you can be at whatever you’re doing now: As a future leader it’s your responsibility to be able to share those been-there-done-that experiences you’ve had with the people you want lead and help.
How are you learning what you’re learning right now? Someone blazed the path years ago and now they’re helping you directly or indirectly.
Next it will be your turn to do that for someone else.
Who can you reach out to and mentor TODAY?
