10 Feb 2007, Posted by Lance in Leadership, No Comments.

On Leadership

I think everyone strives to be a better leader. We
read books, take classes and go through the upper management training courses,
yet so few people seem to really grasp the core concepts of leadership.

I have been privy to witness all kinds of leadership in the
military and in my corporate career and although I am no expert, leadership has
started to come easier for me over the years.

Let me give you some background…

When I was 17 years old, I helped found a non-profit
corporation. It was a grant based volunteer organization that had out
reach programs to local youth. In the beginning of this project, we were
interviewed by local press and I ended up on the center stage, the next thing I
knew I was being called the “leader” of this group by various forms of the
press.

Over the next few years I learned some of the most important
secrets of leadership.

People follow dreamers and those that can inspire others to
do great things
People follow those that take action, not those who talk and
preach fluff
People follow those who “Don’t follow the Crowd”

For better and worse, this project was a success. I was
proclaimed a local hero and given accolades for my endeavors, this also led to
me getting a big head and thinking I knew it all at age 20.

I always tell people if you want the biggest leadership
challenge of your life, go lead a non-profit organization of volunteers who are
not being paid to work there. It will challenge every bone of your leader
body.

In the real world there are few leaders but a lot of
managers.

Leaders lead and inspire people
Managers manage tasks and things

In the past few years I have taken my leadership to another
level in that I truly care for the people on my teams. I care for their
personal needs and endeavors; I coach them with finances, faith and help them
in any way possible, regardless if I ever receive anything in return. I
often spend my own time and money to help others in small ways.

A true leader cares about people, not about tasks, not about
what upper management thinks. You truly care about what is inside of each
one of your teammates and you let them know that they are great people.

I also have learned the power of influence.

Many times titles, rank and position have nothing to do with
who really makes an organization work. There are those special people who
have all the connections, they have great rapport with people and they remember
to help the little guys on the bottom and the big guys at the top.

These people are the influencers. They may be anywhere
in an organization, the mail room, middle management, at the local espresso
stand or the gatekeeper to the CEO. They have so many friends and
connections in the organization that they “walk between the raindrops.”

I have learned to occupy this role by networking with people
at all levels and helping them solve problems. I am the go to guy.

Gordon Gekko said “Information is the most valuable
commodity I know of”

I try to become an information portal and push that
information out to those who need it to help them with their activities and
problems.

Note this is not “brown nosing” but honest information
exchange and full honesty to people at all levels of an organization.
While most people try to suck up and impress the big guys, I have frequently
talked with leaders echelons above me and given them an honest assessment of
their problems.

Now I am by all means no expert and I am far from calling
myself a great leader. Yet, I get deep satisfaction from the frequent
emails, phone calls and notes of thanks for truly caring and truly giving in my
own unique way.

A True Master of this style of leadership was the Apostle
Paul and in the future I will give a post on why the Apostle Paul was the
master leader and influencer.

I frequently challenge people with this topic to get out of
the role of a manager and develop your role as a leader, it is in all of us, it
just needs to be developed.