The Subtle Art of Learning to Lead

Leadership is a skill that is learned, and then refined and perfected through practice. As Vince Lombardi once said, “great leaders are not born, they are made”. And in today’s world, where there are very few simple tasks and nearly every role is computerized, mechanized or technically oriented, the concept of leading a team of uniquely talented individuals dictates the need for knowledge and understanding that comes only through training and experience. Leadership, in no way, shape or form can be systematically designed for one size or a single dimension to fit every circumstance.

As Charles Darwin’s theory demonstrated, “it is not the strongest who survive”. The strengths, experience, and skills that one individual has for leading any single department with success will rarely ever transfer to another, rather “it will be those who are most capable of adapting and adjusting to the environment in which they find themselves”. And so it is in life, in our careers and the pathways we seek and select along the way to achieving our own definition of success and in what we do to sustain ourselves.

As an example, an individual who excels in sales may not be a success in a management position. Their achievements in selling may be intuitive to them but won’t equate to having the ability to lead a sales team. However, they can become a highly talented instrument within the framework of a group of other high achievers. It is the same in sports and we often see star players with hall of fame credentials who are unable to transfer their talents into coaching.

For the past ten months, I’ve been immersed in a leadership program hosted by the Troy Area Chamber of Commerce - Troy, Ohio , (Leadership Troy 2023) where each month the focus of learning was concentrated on different areas within the community. The curriculum covered everything from the settlement and history of the town to municipal and county government, law enforcement and the court system, health care, commerce and enterprise, schools, and education, a poverty simulation exercise and more. The topics were intentionally broad to allow the class to view each segment from a wide angle, and then the view was narrowed to realize the levels and layers of strategic leadership necessary for the town and its departments and services to function, flourish, and provide a stable and healthy community for its citizens, with always the underlying question of “how can we do better in order to serve more impactfully".

Learning to lead is an invaluable skill, just as learning to follow a leader and play a supporting role is in the success of any team. Good leaders will always be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of their team, and they will recognize how to delegate and give instructions to achieve the best possible performance from each.

If your local Chamber of Commerce offers a similar course, I urge you to apply and devote the time to better understand the nuances of becoming a better leader. You will not only tap into an incredible learning and growing experience, but will meet a diverse collection of individuals, and together, learn how to combine your unique talents to improve your community.

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