LEADERSHIP … INFLUENCE
These days there is so much talk about leadership , but really , what is leadership ? It can be defined in many ways , but I believe in the definition that John Maxwell refers to : “ Leadership begins and ends with influence .”
SO LET ’ S DEFINE INFLUENCE . IT CAN BE DEFINED AS “ HAVING THE CAPACITY TO HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE CHARACTER , DEVELOPMENT OR BEHAVIOUR OF SOMEONE OR SOMETHING .”
So a strong leader must have the ability to effect change in a person or a group . When you think of a strong leader , whom do you think of ? A family member , a celebrity , maybe a politician , but it would be someone who has made an impact on your life , values , or habits .
In my opinion , leaders are not born but created . While internal personal values can help you become a leader , that in itself is not all that is necessary .
When I think of a leader worth following , I think of a person having the following characteristics :
• Servant attitude
• Caring heart
• Passion to be a positive influence
• Strong sense of emotional intelligence
• Able to put one ’ s self last and others first
Let ’ s look at each one of these in more depth .
A SERVANT ’ S ATTITUDE :
To have true influence , one must have the passion to want to serve others with the mind-set of putting them and their wellbeing first . A servant cares for and does what is necessary to influence others for the benefit of others .
CARING HEART :
This is the part that , if any , you could be born with . Not that one ’ s heart can ’ t grow and change , but the core or foundation needs to be there . To lead or to influence someone , you must care about that person . It is not about what you can get out of a situation but how you can honestly work to influence someone and that it really matters to you . This must be a genuine characteristic , as someone trying to fake it or pretend can be spotted easily .
POSITIVE INFLUENCE :
I have learned over the years that positive and negative energy are real . If you wake up every day with the right attitude and look at life in a positive fashion , I believe life will be more positive than negative . I am not naïve enough to believe that negativity does not come into our lives , but what I am convinced of is that how we deal with it makes a very distinct difference .
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE :
Have you ever been in a situation where you just knew how to handle it or how to react . This is emotional intelligence at work . This is learned behaviour that comes from prior experience or watching someone ’ s reaction to something and recognizing the way to respond , whether you know that person or not . It is an ability that is overlooked greatly in leadership . Leaders need to be able to read a person and be capable of noticing and working through emotions . The actions and words that are not stated can actually mean more than words or actions that are stated .
LAST , NOT FIRST :
In Simon Sinek ’ s book , Leaders Eat Last , he tells the story about the armed forces where , in the dining halls , the leaders eat last .
THIS IS SO THAT IF AN ATTACK COMES , THOSE THAT ARE ON THE FRONT LINES ARE WELL NOURISHED AND PREPARED FOR BATTLE . THE LEADERS , WHILE IMPORTANT TO STRATEGY AND TACTICS , ARE NOT IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO BATTLE .
In my own life , I have always tried to live by the Golden Rule . It comes from Matthew 7:12 and I quote , “ do to others whatever you would like them to do to you ,” or as I have heard other versions , “ treat people the way you would want your mother treated .” Think of the difference in the world if this rule was lived out day by day in every country .
It ’ s not just the beginning of this verse that matters ; it ’ s actually the end that makes the verse matter . Verse 12 goes on to say , “ this is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets .” The key word here is “ essence .” It encompasses all law , and if this is how you live , then everything else falls into place .
What ’ s my point ? As a leader , we must care about others first , be a positive influence , pay attention to detail , and treat others as we want to be treated .
I will leave you with this phrase : lead with your heart and the rest will follow . +
Doug Bundock , CRM is Vice President Of Operations at Benson Kearley IFG . Doug is a certified Coach & Trainer at the John Maxwell organization . You can reach Doug at dbundock @ bkifg . com
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