Good leadership is a difficult thing to pin down and understand. In this article, originally published at LinkedIn Pulse Dr. Travis Bradberry explains what real leadership is.
What makes someone a leader?
It's such a simple question, yet it continues to vex some of the best thinkers in business. We've written several books on leadership, yet it's rare to stop to define leadership.
Let's start with what leadership isn't...
Leadership has nothing to do with seniority or one's position in a company's hierarchy.
Too many people talk about the leadership of a company by referring to the top executives of the organization. They are just senior executives. Leadership doesn't happen automatically when you reach a certain level of pay. I hope you find it there, but there are no guarantees.
Leadership has nothing to do with titles.
Similar to the point above, the simple fact having a C-level title does not automatically make you a “leader”. We often emphasize that you don't need a title to lead. You can be a leader in your workplace, neighborhood, or family, all without having a title.
Leadership has nothing to do with personal attributes.
Say the word "leader and most people think of a controlling, responsible and charismatic individual. People often think of historical icons like General Patton or President Lincoln. But leadership is not an adjective. We don't need to be extroverted or charismatic to practice leadership. And those with charisma don't automatically lead.
Leadership is not management.
That's the big deal. Leadership and management are not synonymous. Do you have 15 people under your responsibility downstream and in P&L? Good for you, I hope you are a good manager. Good management is necessary . Managers need to plan, measure, monitor, coordinate, troubleshoot, hire, fire, and more. Managers spend most of their time managing stuff . Leaders lead people.
So again, what makes a leader?
Let's see how some of the most respected business thinkers of our time define leadership, and examine what's wrong with their definitions...
Peter Drucker:"The only definition of a leader is someone who has supporters. »
Really? This instance of tautology is so simplistic that it is dangerous. A new army captain is placed in command of 200 soldiers. He never leaves his room or says a word to the men and women in his unit. Perhaps routine orders are given by a subordinate. By default, his troops must "follow" orders, but is the captain really a leader? Commander yes, chief no. Drucker is of course a brilliant thinker, but his definition is too simple.
Warren Bennis:“Leadership is the ability to translate vision into reality.”
Every spring you have a vision for a garden , and with a lot of work carrots, and tomatoes become a reality. Are you a leader? No, you are a gardener. Bennis' definition seems to have forgotten "other people".
Bill Gates:"As we look forward to the next century, leaders will be those who empower others."
This definition includes "others" and empowerment is a good thing. But to what end? We have seen many empowered “others” in life, from hooligan rioters to Google employees who were so misaligned with the rest of the company that they found themselves unemployed. Gates' definition lacks purpose and vision.
John Maxwell:“Leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less.”
We love minimalism but this reduction is too much. A thief with a gun has an "influence" on his victim. A manager has the power to fire team members, which gives a lot of influence. But does this influence make a thief or a manager a leader? Maxwell's definition omits source influence.
So what is leadership?
DEFINITION:Leadership is a process of social influence that maximizes the efforts of others toward the achievement of a greater good.
Notice the key elements of this definition:
Leadership comes from social influence , not authority or power.
Leadership requires others, which implies that they do not need to be "direct reports".
No mention of personality traits, attributes or even a title; there are many styles, many paths to effective leadership.
It includes a greater good , no influence without expected result.
Leadership is a mindset in action. So don't wait for the title. Leadership is not something anyone can give you – you have to earn it and claim it for yourself.
