On the surface, the difference between a step and a stumble seems obvious.
But in life, plotting long and hard to climb into a leadership role often is indistinguishable from inadvertently falling into one. The fact is, whether you take a deliberate step toward an objective or immediately trip on a shoelace, you may end up in the same spot. Put another way, many people who have a laser focus on getting to the top make it there no faster than those who have a leadership opportunity thrust upon them.
Yet knowing the difference between thoughtful leadership and the kind that happens seemingly by accident is critical—not only in your ability to grow and develop as a leader, but to establish a pattern of success that’s deliberate, not miraculous.
Herr are seven right attributes that separate genuine leadership from leadership that’s more a matter of chance:
1. Real leadership means leading yourself. Passing out orders is as easy as passing out invite cards. But a prudent leader also knows how to lead himself or herself—not merely to provide a genuine example to others, but to become a working element of the overall machinery of your group. “It’s important that leaders have the ability to focus and motivate themselves as they motivate others”.
2. Don’t be a monarch. Be careful not set up a throne room in the process. Accidental leaders often inadvertently establish a system of guidance that’s unnecessarily restrictive. Guide people, but don’t implement more parameters than are absolutely necessary.
3. Be open to new ways of doing things. One potential land mine of a prosperous small group is to repeat anything that proves successful. It’s hard to argue against that, but an inadvertent leader will put far too much stock in sticking with what always works. By contrast, thoughtful leadership acknowledges success but also recognizes there are always ways to do things better.
4. Establish a genuine sense of commitment. I don’t have much to expound on this. It is simple. Decide to stay committed.
5. Finish the job. Many people yak about their complete game, but how many actually finish what they say they’re going to start? A thoughtless leader who never genuinely finishes anything loses the confidence of clients and customers. That lack of follow-through isn’t going to be lost on his or her people, either.
6. Show genuine appreciation. Thoughtless leaders must have forearms like Popeye’s, what with all the back-slapping they do. That’s fine, but good performance requires a more substantive response. Leaders with an eye to the future hand out praise but augment it with real rewards: promotions, thankfulness, cards of appreciation, and other tangible tokens of love. That motivates your people, not only to apply themselves with enthusiasm but to stick around your group or church longer than they might otherwise.
7. Know that leadership skills come from learning, too. Far too may people believe leadership skills stem from some sort of wondrous epiphany or other such flash of insight. Sure, great ideas can come to any of us, but being a bona fide leader also means study. Read books on effective leadership, and pick the brains of other leaders to see what works for them. It can be a long education, but one with rewards that multiply with the more knowledge you have under your belt.
