Everyone talks about it; few understand it. Most people want it; few achieve it. There are over fifty definitions and descriptions of it in my personal files. What is this intriguing subject we call “LEADERSHIP?” According to John C Maxwell, leadership is influence. Nothing more; nothing less. My favorite leadership proverb is: “he who thinketh he leadeth and hath no one following him is only taking a walk.” Leadership is the ability to obtain followers. However, Leaders are not just born, they’re made! I think many people understand intuitively that if you can’t lead yourself effectively, everything else in your life will be a struggle. Self-leadership comes first. It makes every other kind of leadership possible. It’s where a person’s credibility is established. All individuals have to decide what values they will embrace, what they will live for, what they would die for. These values come from their core beliefs and their faith. To become a great leader, there are key values you must possess:
1. SERVANTHOOD: Leading well means serving others. If you want to lead others but you are unwilling to serve people, I think you need to check your motives. If you are willing to embrace servanthood, not only will you become a better leader, you will help your team, help the people your team serves, and make the world a better place.
2. PURPOSE: Let your WHY direct your WHAT. Success comes from knowing your purpose in life, growing to your maximum potential, and sowing seeds to benefit others. If you miss any one of those three things, I don’t think you can be genuinely successful. I also know that you cannot achieve the second and third parts fully without first discovering the first. You can’t grow to your potential if you don’t know your purpose.
3. INTEGRITY: Live the life before you lead others. Great teams are made up of people with diverse skills. But when it comes to values, habit, discipline, and attitude there needs to be unity. That starts with the example set by leaders. If the leaders are undisciplined, the people will follow suit. When you become a leader, you must focus more on your responsibilities than on rights. You must raise your standards. You must do more than you expect of others. If you live the life first and lead well, others will respect you. And the chances are good that they will be willing to follow you.
4. RELATIONSHIPS: Walk slowly through the crowd. Leadership Impact is drawn not from position or title but from authentic relationships. Treat people with kindness and respect and go to where they are to connect with them. A lot of leaders assume that people will come to them if they need or want something. But effective leaders initiate. They communicate vision. They seek out opportunities. They start initiatives that will benefit the organization. They know that they will never possess what they are unwilling to pursue. They want good relationships with the people who work with them, so they seek those people out. They ask them questions. They learn who they are. They offer assistance and they find ways for them to succeed. If you want to become a better leader, become highly relational.
5. RENEWAL: Replenish yourself daily. Life is demanding. People are demanding. The more you lead and the more you succeed, the more others will expect from you. If you don’t make an effort to replenish your energy, feed your spirit, soul, body, renew your kind, you will run out of gas. Replenishing yourself requires your attention. You have to be intentional about it. Read books on leadership and read about great leaders who have gone ahead of you, remain teachable, and have mentors. Leaders are not just born they are made too.
Dr Ajayi David Aduragbemi