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On Being a Leader


I read a lot. Probably too much. I just read a post on leadership by Harold Jarche. Good post, go read it.


But it also prompted a thought which I got from Thomas Leonard, arguably the modern father of coaching: "If you want to be a coach, start coaching!"

So if you want to lead, start leading!

But what does that mean to someone who is just starting out ... or their current behaviour isn't working?

This leads me to another quote (sorry, I'm full of it today!): "A leader takes their team/people from a known, to an unknown."

And what that means is, a leader will have a progression point they want others to get to as well. 

A progression point assumes the place you are heading is better than where you are (hence "progress") and there is a specific point where you will recognise that place (hence "point").

You can't lead a group if you don't have a clear idea where you are going. (Well, I don't think you can - caveat: the destination point may change as new information becomes available on your journey).

So, if you want to lead the aim is to take your followers to an new place you can identify and influence them to follow you.

This can be convincing you partner/family/friend to live in a other country to eke out a lifestyle important to you - and subsequently to them.

It can be convincing your boss that a new approach to sales would be more profitable to the business. And, with your boss's permission, influencing the sales team (colleagues) to attempt said strategy. In this scenario you have a couple of roles to play:

  1. define what you want
  2. identify the changes to get you there
  3. work with the team through their setbacks to develop and keep up momentum
A leader will get pushback, rebellion in the ranks at times, sometimes feel they are a bit lost too. But if you keep the progression point (with any necessary modification) firmly fixed in your mind. You can star leading. Taking them group from what they know to what they don't (yet) know.

You don't necessarily need a training course. I'd suggest a mentor.

You don't need an exhaustive process. But I'd suggest a plan you can communicate.

Most of all, you can start today with just an idea and a passion to be able to communicate that to an individual or group to help them make progress to a better place.

Let me know your thoughts and ideas on this. There is a myriad of info on leadership so this is the smallest of dents perhaps.

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