Leadership Is A Journey

Much time has been spent debating whether leaders are born or made. One is a leader when they actually lead others. It is true that some people naturally exhibit core leadership skills, they have a vision, they make good decisions and they take risks. However, possessing those skills does not constitute one as a leader.  You cannot be a leader unless people are actually following you, unless you are influencing the behaviors of others.

Many times, people ascend to leadership positions because of their intelligence and experience. I have great admiration for those who exhibit great levels of intellectual capacity and wisdom. However, the reality is many who are promoted to leadership positions based solely on those attributes soon find out that those qualities are not sufficient for them to effectively lead others. Often, they get stuck managing and not leading, never surpassing the bottom of the leadership spectrum only possessing positional leadership.

Every leader will come to understand that leadership is a journey and each leadership position that one may possess requires a different set of core and adaptive leadership skills. Adaptive leadership skills are those qualities that must be worked on. They include emotional intelligence, organizational justice, character and the development of yourself and others. Your core leadership skills get you into leadership positions while your adaptive leadership skills transform you into an effective leader, they are what separates you from the pack and enables you to get the results you require.

I have had the opportunity to lead a number of organizations and groups within my community. What I have been able to realize from my various leadership experiences is that results matter most. The ability to get things accomplished surpasses almost all other factors. It is certainly not the only thing that is important, however from my lens great leaders are measured by what they have accomplished.

During my leadership journey I have found a formula that enabled me to increase my level of effectiveness over time. The formula includes:

1.      Lead from the front, exhibit behaviors that inspire and influence others

2.      Have a clear vision and goals to achieve

3.      Plow through defining moments

4.      Build and develop a highly skilled and motivated team: utilize them, invest in them, and show appreciation.

5.      Know your limitations and continuously focusing on your own personal development.

6.      Never compromise your principles

While this formula has been my foundation to increasing my leadership effectiveness others may have to make other considerations that will allow them to achieve the results that they require. One thing that is certain is that leadership is a journey not a destination. Just like any other skills you possess; leadership skills take time to develop and they require continuous refinement and improvement. You will also have to learn how to use the appropriate skills for various environments and challenges. The more skills in your arsenal and the mastery of when to apply those skills will ultimately lead to you developing into an effective leader during your journey.