Tempestuous Times Require Strong Leadership!

Tempestuous Times Require Strong Leadership

I run leadership development courses and am beginning to believe that a change is needed.

Traditional Leadership Model is Antediluvian

Traditionally, leadership was seen as something done from the top of organisations. We used to trot out the old definitions that leadership was about effectiveness and management about efficient use of resources. Leadership was seen as giving direction to the organisation ( then people jumped on the vision, mission and values bandwagon and overcomplicated things!)

(1) Leadership Applies to Everyone

However, if we take a simple definition of leadership as being about choosing the right things to do, everyone in an organisation, and in their private lives, is a leader. Everyday, in work and out, we have to make decisions: shall I do this, or shall I do that? What’s the right thing to do?

(2) Leadership Means Accepting Responsibility

With leadership comes responsibility and this is where we start to run into difficulty: many people don’t want to take on responsibility. They’re quite happy sitting back, doing the minimum required, blaming everyone else (school, parents, environment grew up in, lack of opportunities, illness, the boss, the company policies, the spouse, the kids etc. etc) for the state of their lives.

In addition, there’s pressure to conform, to fit in. It starts at school with not wanting to be called a “keener” for succeeding. Then it’s get a job, get a flat/house, get married, get kids, get a few promotions, get retired etc. It’s what most people expect to do and expect everyone else to do. If you deviate from the norm, people are quick to criticise you, so you conform, sheepwalking. And you can’t be a leader and take responsibility for your life while sheepwalking – that’s an oxymoron.

(3) Leadership Means Many Things

Leadership for me is about being committed to first, getting the best out of yourself and second, helping those around you get the best out of themselves. It’s about a commitment to excellence and to daily, incremental improvement. Leadership is about not becoming discouraged when times get tough but about keeping moving forward.

We live in turbulent times and if we are to move through them, we need many people demonstrating strong leadership, people prepared to take responsibility – we can’t, and shouldn’t, rely on those at the very top.

Heaven know the main political parties have very few genuine leaders among them!

What do you think? Should we commit to helping each other to develop as leaders? If so, how should we go about developing leadership for all?

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