How to define a leader?
Let’s start with the goal. Do you have a goal? For today, for a week, for a month, for a year, and for ten years ahead? It is difficult to call a person a leader if he was unable to answer this question quickly without hesitation, delaying the answer until he took out a notebook.
Let’s talk about the quality of the goal. Is it a dream, a “wishlist”, or a goal? Is it achievable, measurable, or specific? Is your goal too simple, or does it contain a challenge? Most of these goals do not exist. There are desires and dreams, but not clearly described goals. The goal must be understood. A well-developed goal is a mentally planned action plan, and the leader does not just set goals for the sake of setting them — he is ready to fulfill them.
It also happens that there is a goal, but it needs to be formulated. Coaches know how this is done — by asking questions correctly, you can find out if a person has a goal and what it is. Many do not have it: most go to the touch. If they themselves do not come into the world, how can they lead others?
This does not mean that they are unable to become leaders, it is just that at the moment they cannot be called leaders. But this can be fixed — goal setting is developed by coaching or self-improvement.
If a person has a goal, this does not mean that we have a leader. The leader also has developed communication skills and the ability to set an example. Every leader has his own style. Someone inspires more with a word, someone speaks less and shows more how to act. But the leader must possess both the ability to set an example and the ability to communicate, skillfully using the word.
Why do we need a goal?
In addition to being the first step to accomplishment, a goal also helps build a team. When getting a job, joining someone’s project, or selecting people for your team, it’s worth checking goals. Then the joint path will be easier and more efficient — we will get synergy. It is too naive and even irresponsible in relation to a great dream to hope that the goals themselves will somehow be applied.
Imagine that you want to work intensively because your startup has to be launched by September or we will lose a year. You select people. For an important specialist for this period of life, the main goal is the family, and he needs work to maintain his financial situation. He would like to spend no more than half a day on work, the rest of the time he will give to his family, and his children because it is at this age that they need it most. It’s beautiful and noble, it’s nice to work with such a specialist, only with this specialist you won’t be able to meet your deadlines, and if you put pressure on a subordinate, you will break your relationship, break his goal or get a product of dubious quality. And all because of a mismatch of goals.
Not everyone wants to be a leader.
There may be leadership inclinations, but the employee does not want to become a leader. Often it is not a matter of laziness or the presence of any unhealthy qualities. This may be due to modesty and stereotypes. We also often heard that “initiative is punishable.” Such views on decency and nobility are still strong. Don’t be an upstart, don’t be intolerant, and don’t jump ahead of time. All good things will be noticed and appreciated.
And for a long time they don’t notice, they don’t appreciate it, because another world has already come in which the manifestation of individuality and an open demonstration of success are valued. Even those who value modesty and patience will simply not notice such a person, he will be overshadowed by more active ones. Even some aggressiveness is now accepted. The more visible ones win. Yet stubbornly pursuing a good goal and working hard on yourself often gives a potential leader a chance to shine. To wait in the wings or to show yourself now is up to each of you, but until you start to declare yourself, you are not a leader. Leadership takes practice.
There are strong personalities who are so wise that they do not want to become leaders in the environment in which they are. They do not show their leadership inclinations, realizing that they do not like the strong and persistent. There are people with strong energy, and strong will, they are so self-sufficient that they do not need to prove anything to anyone. Energy can be “cold”, which suppresses others, and it can be warm, “enveloping”, which calms and gives strength to others. Next to such a person, people feel safer, and more confident in themselves and in the success of their business.
Such “hidden leaders” can have a beneficial effect on the immediate environment without drawing attention to themselves. But if you ask about them, others will note that yes, this person is strong, impressive, speak convincingly, and lives convincingly. He has a large-scale goal, large-scale calmness, and calm self-confidence. If a critical moment comes, he will take responsibility, take people under his protection, and “in peaceful life” such a person can remain invisible for a long time.
There are children who have already birth shown themselves with a strong personality. They are persistent and calm. If they were not broken during their upbringing, they become either strong leaders or potentially bad subordinates, since such people often cannot get along with superiors. Freethinking, a leadership trait, interferes with coexistence. Their problem is that they are not put in leadership positions because of their intractability. You have to negotiate with them, you can’t command them. Such people do not aspire to be leaders, realizing that leadership will not be easy for them. Often such people do not know how to admit their mistakes, and the ability to admit mistakes is a leadership trait. Such people can be “reached out” to excellent leaders. Coaches are capable.
Those who do not like responsibility also do not want to be leaders. It’s the hardest thing to become a leader. The reasons may be different — self-doubt, frivolity, the desire to find an easy way. It is good if such a person does not want to become a leader, worse if he wants to, and even worse if he is appointed to leadership positions.
Who can’t be a leader:
Some things can be developed, but not all. There are always chances, but in some cases, they are equal to zero. Who has the least chance?
In people who have not learned to articulate their thoughts clearly, whose speech is slow or confused. The fact is that the leader should not have a minimum, not sufficient level of oratory skills, but a high one. You can learn everything, but the chances are few, so more will is needed.
In inactive people. People who are not accustomed to taking initiative are unlikely to cope with leadership because leadership is an initiative. It happens that certain circumstances led to the fact that “hands dropped” — in this case, the coach can help to cope.
In people who are inattentive to their appearance. Those who do not know how to put themselves in order may not be able to cope with the project.
For those who are inattentive to specifics and deadlines. Leadership is being responsible for your words, meeting deadlines, and making concrete plans. If a person is not like that, he will not keep a team around him.
Dependent, unable to take a step without agreement. The leader makes decisions himself, without this one can only be someone’s executor.
What Do Leadership People Look Like?
Born leaders are different from the rest, they can be identified even at first glance:
- They look straight ahead and do not hide their eyes.
- They are initiative, and their ideas are realistic.
- They look after themselves.
- They don’t easily give up their point of view. They do not argue in vain but argue with reason.
- They have an understanding of how to solve the problem as a team.
If you decide to grow a leader in your team, it is better to choose those who are prone to leadership.
What most often hinders the leader and what helps
The biggest enemy of a leader is pride. A person can be noticed, entrusted with an important area, but pride in oneself, inability to be grateful, and appropriating all the merits to oneself can nullify everything.
Coaching skills help the leader the most. The leader constantly develops his employees and helps them. The main motivation for them is development, growth, achievement, and not monetary incentives. If this happens, the leader is in his place.
Communication skills and knowledge of the rules of working with people, for example, knowing that you need to praise in public and scold in private, help a leader great.
And another very important detail that many people forget: the leader must keep a balance between work and leisure, and teach this to his team.