When I was starting out in my career, the word leader would be applied to political leaders, CEO's, thought leaders and team leaders (supervisors). Now it is used as a generic phrase, often in the wrong context. You see, leadership is now viewed as a state of being, the behaviours and mindset, rather than simply a position.
The focus on leadership has almost made "managers" a dirty word. That frustrates me because leaders can't deliver a vision without great managers who deliver the results. If you have managers who also act as leaders, all the better.
Leaders can be found within any group and hierarchal position or job title doesn't always mean you are a leader. Leaders are everywhere and it is a role that anyone can evolve into. Leaders have specific responsibilities and mindsets:
Vision and Direction.
Leaders are visionary. They can see a different future and new possibilities. There vision enables them to set a direction for their followers, who believe in their vision and willingly follow and join them. Managers on the other hand, follow the direction of others and ensure that the plan is delivered. Managers can be leaders, and leaders can also be managers.
Do the right things rather than do things right.
Leaders have a clear set of personal values and do what they feel is morally and ethically right. They have the strength of character to go against the grain and take a stand for what is important for them, their followers and the wider community. Managers, do the right thing, following processes, procedures and systems.
Inspire.
Leaders inspire followership through their vision, purpose and presence. They speak truth, authentically and with integrity, so their followers trust them as a person. They are often loved, but not always. They are always respected.
Strategy.
Leaders take their vision and translate it into a strategy, mapping out where they want to be and the steps they need to take to get there, the mission and goals.
Develop and build people.
They stand on the shoulders of the giants they create. They are driven to develop others, helping them to be the best that they can be, so everyone grows. They empower others and don't feel the need to be all seeing, all powerful and always right.
Have followers.
The overarching principle. Leaders create a following around their ideas, actions and vision. The followers emotionally support the leader so they too achieve their own personal goals and objectives. managers and directors may have people who follow their instructions due to fear, hierarchy and power. Leaders have people follow them because they are believed in and trusted.
The dictionary definition is the person who leads or commands a group, organization, or country. It talks of position.
Today we think of leadership differently, influenced by the work of James MacGregor Burns, Pulitzer prize winner and historian.
He developed the idea of transformational leadership, a distinct activity to that of management. He shifted us to think more philosophically about leadership rather than a job title or process.
"Leadership, in short, is power governed by principle, directed toward raising people to their highest levels of personal motive and social morality."
Transformational leadership defines leadership as:
- Creating an inspiring vision for the future
- Motivates and inspires people to engage with that vision
- Manages the execution of the vision into reality
- Develops, coaches and builds teams to deliver the vision.
Mindset connection
The word leader is often used to describe someone who is managing. This adds confusion. Managers are responsible for planning, organising, delegating, monitoring and developing the team and resources to achieve a goal or outcome. They may use leadership to achieve this, but they may simply be brilliant managers, delivering someone else's vision.