Leadership Has no Title!
I am now into my 20th + year as a business advisor and for half of it I realised I was chasing a title! In the early days of my working career I believed I needed some form of recognition to say to the world I have arrived and I’m here to make a difference.
As I began to grow and mature, the journey I was on had many split roads and it was up to me to decide what path I would take. I was fortunate enough to make a decision 10 years ago to take a path that lead me to discover that “Leadership Has no Title” and what I was chasing was never going to be caught!
- How to measure leadership
“The true measure of leadership is influence nothing more, nothing less” you see, when a real leader speaks, people listen. My experience has told me that if you think you are leading and no one is following, then you are just going for a walk!
- What if you had no title?
I want you to think about the following, if I was to take away your current title would your employees or those who are answerable to you continue to do what you have asked? If the answer is yes then you have influence over them and you are leading them, however if the answer is no, then you are just a manager. Now I’m not saying managers have no place in our organization they do, they ensure that your policies, processes and systems are being followed. If you are a leader you will have influence and people will follow you by choice not because they have too. Think about individuals in our history both good and bad that had influence over their people with no title, Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King or Nelson Mandela just to mention a few all shaped the world we live in today.
- The Importance of growing YOU!
One thing I have worked out over time is that if we are to grow our businesses, we must first grow ourselves. Our business will never outperform us and it’s our ability to lead those around us that we are able to achieve success. We are all mentors in someway through being a parent, teacher, boss or just being part of the community and it’s my goal to ensure we continue to grow ourselves and create leaders amongst us.
- 7 Factors of a great Leader
There are 7 factors in leadership and none of the seven include “Title”, take some time out of your day and answer the following and see if you possess any of the seven:
- Character – People will always sense truth and integrity; charisma will get you in the front door but its character that will keep you there. Can people sense truth and integrity in you?
- Relationships – Surround yourself with the right people, what is your inner circle like, do you have people who add value to you?
- Knowledge – Study, learn, know the facts, are you working on your self daily or just in a day?
- Intuition – Energy, morale, timing, momentum, are you possessing any of these right now? What changes do you need to make in your life?
- Experience – What challenges have you had in the past? How have you dealt with them, what did you learn and are you using this knowledge to add value to others.
- Past Success – What is your track record like? Have you extended yourself or ever taken a risk and succeeded?
- Ability – What are you capable of achieving – Can you be a great leader and mentor to others?
I have been fortunate to work on myself and enhance my leadership skills through an amazing leader John C Maxwell. I guarantee you this; the effectiveness of your leadership will determine the success of your business, your community and ultimately your family. Look at the 7 factors of leadership in your life and consider how you can become a successful leader.
At Inspire Business Solutions we have developed a leadership workshop that is based on the “21 Irrefutable laws of leadership” by John C Maxwell, call us today to discuss how we can create explosive growth in your business and develop your leaders of tomorrow today.
Sam Capuana - Director