“A Leader” vs. “The Leader”

In my last post I didn’t make this distinction, and I’m not sure how I missed it. We always get confused by semantics. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid; aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno’t mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae.

The definition of these two phrases is very different. One represents your character, and the other your title. We can always be a leader by example, even if we are not the leader. Sometimes our skill set doesn’t allow us to be in charge of a project, but our talent may be the little thing that pushes the project over the top.

If you are the leader of your business, what are some ways to get everyone on your team to be a leader?

If you are a leader, what are your expectations of the leader?

Don’t Follow the Leader

This is something I’m working on for Toastmasters. Your opinions and ideas are always welcome.

Often we think about leaders as those who can motivate, inspire, sacrifice, and serve. These are great qualities that we all hope to find in ourselves. The truth is, some of us have it and some don’t. I’m here to tell you it’s OK if you are not the leader.

If we were all ‘The Leader’, there would be no advancement of ideas. We would be running in opposite directions with different goals, ideas, and strategies. There is something to be said for the role player, the face in the crowd who contributes to the greater good. Look at any sports team and it’s made up mostly of these people. A Super Bowl winning quarterback is nothing without the men who clear a path and protect the blind side. A basketball dynasty doesn’t exist without the sixth man off the bench that gives the star a rest and makes a clutch shot. Your office is at a standstill if the receptionist can’t convert a new call to a new patient.

In sales and life you can’t be everything to everyone, and if you try, you’re destined to fail. Similarly, I’m not sure you can be the leader in every situation. Sometimes, a great leader recognizes there is a better person for the job, and her ability and willingness to play a supporting role will be crucial to the overall success.

If you are not the leader, that doesn’t mean you become a follower. The misconception with leadership is that if you aren’t it, you are of lesser importance. It’s quite the opposite in fact. In Leadership Without Followers, Kearsley & Lynch say “Real leaders discourage followers, instead encouraging use of their visions as a foundation for other, better insights.”

Consider the world we live in today. Information on any topic is available at the click of a mouse. Millions of people are spreading ideas and knowledge at a ridiculous pace. Social media is changing the way we interact, communicate, and share this information. Kearsley & Lynch go on to say, “True solutions to problems are always based on ideas from multiple perspectives; no individual, however capable, can incorporate the full range of knowledge and experience…”

The reality is, a leader is an individual. The concept of leadership requires groupthink and collaboration. We can’t all be the leader and that’s OK.

I was Runnin’

About 4 months ago, I started running again.  I’ve tried to get back in running-shape a number of times, but haven’t been able to make it stick.  Every time I’d get through a week of running, I’d miss a day and it would be over.

I celebrated my thirtieth birthday this year. I know thirty isn’t old, but it felt different.  When I blew out the candles, something subtle happened.  I took a look at where I was and wanted to change.  I decided running was a good place to start, so I laced up the sneakers and hit the road. It was all sunshine, ocean breeze, and new me.  At the 1/4 mile pole my shins hurt, I couldn’t breathe, sweat was in my eye, and I wanted a cigarette. Suddenly, I was reconsidering running as my first choice.  Somehow, I found a bit of strength deep inside, and I forced myself to run one mile that day.

It’s been four months and over 150 miles.  Now, running is the time where I get to build up mental toughness credits.  I thought of that term the other night during a run where my legs felt heavy and I couldn’t catch my breath.  It was cold, I was tired, and I didn’t feel like running the last 2 miles.  Since I find walking in my running gear to be very embarrassing, my only option was to cash in some credits. As I was running, I was thinking about what it took to get through other tough days.  I started to feed off of those runs.  Immediately my form started to improve, a rush of adrenaline put a pep in my step.  

Facing challenge and difficulty is a part of life.  I think most would agree there are more lessons learned in failure than there are in success. So how does this fit into what you do?  Mental toughness is what keeps you sharp.  Being sharp is what makes you stand out.  Change, growth, and progress all require mental toughness.  Next time you are struggling, take a minute to appreciate the difficulty of the moment.  In running and in life there is always another hill, and there is always one more mile.  Are you mentally prepared?