Welcome to my website!
I started this blog as a result of a peer that posted on how scarce Leadership (AUTHENTIC) or what I call Principle-Centered Leadership is. That rekindled my fire to write down my thoughts and experiences on Leadership. A couple of years ago I made a feable attempt at starting a website called “The Leader Way” for what this blog is aimed for. From my experience, quite a few people in organizations DO NOT understand LEADERSHIP. Many go along with the status quo or settle into what is comfortable. There are a number of factors that are attributed to this. Part of it is attributed to what I call a person’s “upbringing” or how they were “cut” – in other words how were they trained, experiences they had and how they were mentored along the way to their current position’s. True leaders can be unpopular because they can cause disruption in the harmony of the status quo by simply trying TO DO THE RIGHT THING. They go against flow and can be termed as “Disruptive” Leaders.
Leadership encompasses quite a bit. It is more involved that just a textbook definition or a bunch of quotes. If you are in the management field long enough, you see that people coin new terms and repackage the same ideas for age old concepts. Leadership is an Art that must be practiced daily in all interactions and is forged through challenging experiences. It can be learned and practiced. Many confuse Management and Leadership; even use them interchangeably – WRONG! Because you hold a position or title, does not make you a Leader! Smokin mirrors all day baby! Leadership is an ACTION, not a position or title that you hold.
When I think of a Leader, I think of someone that has character, integrity, a backbone, is in tune with their own capabilities (strength’s and weaknesses) and at their core, has a geniune concern for people. A Leader will tell you like it is, regardless of how they will look. Popularity contests are left to those that wish to be liked and is short lived. When it comes down to it, most would rather be liked and fit in, rather than doing the right thing (human nature – right?). This is what makes Leadership difficult – it moves you out of your comfort zone and the safety net of the good ‘ole boy/girl system. What I am getting at here is beyond the obvious personable aspect (everyone has to have that), but when you have a job to do and people that are affected by your decisions, that is when Leadership comes in. Leaders have to consider the 2nd and 3rd order affects of their decisions. How does it impact the organization and the people (internally and externally)?
The fact is, Leaders demand alot out of the people they lead (even more so from themselves) and can gain respect because they set high, but achieveable standards from the start. They lead from the front by doing. You may not like the Leader, but more often than not, you will respect them. I can tell you from personal experience that Leadership can be lonely because of the tough and sometimes unpopular decisions that have to be made. What it comes down to, is DOING THE RIGHT THING, regardless of situation.
There are so many ways to analyze Leadership, that I aim to post different aspects in separate postings through the use of this blog. It really is an art and there is always more than one way to do it. I will draw upon many resources, to include my own personal experiences (as a Father, in the military leading Soldiers as an Army Officer and in the Healthcare Industry, being my own Doctor/Lawyer/Advocate as a medical patient), to help drive concepts home and hopefully have you take away a few ideas for application in your own lives. You are also forewarned that SARCASTIC and WITTY Humor will be applied throughout!
I posted this video to help drive some of my thoughts home. Robin Sharma, who has gained recognition in the Leadership realm for his “Lead Without Title” approach, developed an acronym I.M.A.G.E. for Leadership:
Imagination - need more dreamers (see the big picture)
Merchant of WOW – Excellence; raise standards
Authenticity – Be yourself (transparency – not a popularity contest)
Guts - Being courageous / make the tough calls
Ethics & Excellence - Step “Out of the Tribe”
© 2009 & 2010 Ben Larson (aka TheLeaderWay). All Rights Reserved.
