Are leaders simply born that way? Are they forged into that status by surviving the challenges of life and by rising as a conquering victor? Is real leadership attained by careful academic study and scientific methodologies? How does someone know when they have gone from simply aspiring to be a leader to actually being one? Is leadership determined by a title or a status? Can anyone become a leader? Is there a difference between being a manager and being a leader?
These questions and more have been the topic of debate around the conference room table, the lecture hall, and the campfire for ages. There are probably thousands or tens of thousands of books dedicated to these ideas and I think there’s a great deal of value in studying the topic and hearing what others have to say about it. However, in an attempt to save you a bit of time, I’ll share some of my thoughts on these questions based on my personal experience as a leadership development consultant, student of leadership, and aspiring leader myself. My hope is that through this article I might be able to answer some of your questions, challenge your thinking on others, and raise some brand new ones. For fun, I’ll answer the questions in the reverse order that I asked them in the intro.
Is there a difference between being a manager and being a leader?
Absolutely! The simplest way I tend to break down this distinction is that someone should “lead the people and manage the process.” This operates on the fundamental assumption that people are not problems to be solved. By understanding that leadership is essentially the act of influencing others, it’s possible to see that anyone and everyone has that potential. Managers are people in an organization with a formal role or title who are responsible for getting a certain set of results or outputs. Leaders are people who influence others to rally around an idea or objective and encourage them to input their best effort in accomplishing it. Managers focus on outputs and leaders focus on inputs. I would argue that the best leaders also manage and that the best managers also lead. For someone to truly rise to their fullest capability in leadership they must be mindful of influencing people to provide the greatest input toward a goal and then follow up by managing the process of the work to ensure a desirable outcome that aligns with the original goal.
Can anyone become a leader?
Ok, so I’m going to answer this one with another question: have you ever heard of a “social media influencer”? If we are operating under the definition that leadership is about influence then this idea reinforces the concept that anyone truly can become a leader. The challenge here is understanding the scope of one’s influence and using it to lead toward helpful rather than harmful things. I will intentionally avoid giving any specific examples to avoid stirring any unnecessary controversy on this point but I am certain that you will not need to look far, whether into the worlds of politics, cosmetics, advertising, or sports to see pointed examples of people using their influence to lead others toward a desired goal. Discussing how people should be mindful to use their platform ethically is another discussion in itself.
Download the FULL REPORT from Medi-Share:
“10 Things About Mental Health Every Pastor (or Leader) MUST Know”
Is leadership determined by a title or a status?
In organizational culture, some believe that they are not truly a leader until they climb to a certain rung on the proverbial “corporate ladder.” I would argue that this is a faulty notion and one that holds people back from growing their skills as a leader. If someone waits until they have achieved a certain status as a formal leader before they begin learning and practicing leadership skills, then I am fairly confident that they will be a very poor leader initially. Learning how to identify goals worth pursuing and leverage appropriate influence to achieve those goals through the work of others is no simple task. It is a worthwhile endeavor for an aspiring leader to begin leveraging influence with others even when they do not hold a formal title that could be used to coerce others to carry out their wishes. The best leadership comes when a person holds strong enough influence that others are willing to do as they ask, even when they are not forced to comply. Keith Ferrazzi, a leading leadership consultant, recently published a book titled Leading Without Authority that provides greater exploration of this topic. Other great topics related to this that I recommend doing a quick Google search on are: “coaching up” and “followership”. In short, anyone can and should lead others no matter what their job title or status.
How does someone know when they have gone from simply aspiring to be a leader to actually being one?
The answer to this one is simple but not easy. I believe that someone aspires to leadership when they attempt to rally others around an idea and leverage their influence to encourage shared movement toward that goal. However, simply getting others to do something may mean that someone led once, but may not necessarily mean that they are perceived as a leader. To be a leader, others should frequently seek guidance and insight for actions from the person they see as the leader. It is when others habitually value and seek out the input of the leader that the one who has led now can be considered a consistent leader. Colin Powell said that “you’ll know you’re a good leader when people follow you if only out of curiosity.” I think this sums up the answer to this question perfectly.
Is real leadership attained by careful academic study and scientific methodologies?
Leadership, fundamentally, is an action or repeated set of actions. While I definitely believe that making academic study of leadership is valuable (I have spent years studying the topic personally), the greatest value in developing leadership comes from the messy art of doing it. One component that academic study fails to deliver on fully in the pursuit of growing as a leader is the critical component of feedback. Feedback is the opportunity for the aspiring leader to learn from all the mistakes they will make as they attempt to leverage influence of people who have different needs and motivations. Researching and understanding models of leadership such as Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Model may provide a crucial framework upon which an aspiring leader can form their abilities. However, it is only in the act of practicing the model, getting it wrong, receiving feedback, learning how to do better next time, and continuing to repeat that cycle that a leader can increase their ability to influence others in a positive way. To this end, leadership is enhanced by academic study but only truly developed in actual practice.
So, are leaders just simply born that way or are they forged into that status by surviving the challenges of life and by rising as a conquering victor?
If the ideas that I’ve presented in this article hold some truth to them, then I have to summarize that anyone who is born has the potential to become a leader but it is only in the act and habit of influencing others to achieve shared actions that someone truly becomes a leader. Personality assessments or profiling tools like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator or DiSC assessment may serve to indicate some natural tendencies that individuals have. Some of those may make leading in different circumstances more challenging or perhaps less challenging, but if an individual commits to intentionally earning the privilege of influencing others and leverages that responsibly and consistently, then I believe the will have earned that right to be called a leader. Like other areas in life where people can show natural aptitudes, some individuals may demonstrate raw talent in leadership, but it is only through the refining process that they can rise to being a skilled leader. While being a leader may not be something quite as poetic as “rising as the conquering victor”, there is a truth to the idea that being a true leader is a status that is more often earned rather than given.
As I mentioned in the beginning, there are countless volumes written on these topics and I am certain that each of these questions could justifiably have an entire book or series dedicated to it. I am hopeful that my simple reduction of some of the key ideas of what it means to be a leader have been helpful for you to explore. Let me know if you disagree with anything I have presented. Let’s discuss (respectfully) in the comments below.
_______
Written by Patrick Smith, Director of Training and Development at Medi-Share
A Note from Brian Dodd about Medi-Share:
This blog and the fascinating FREE report was brought to you by my friends at Medi-Share, the affordable alternative to health insurance.
I love some of the benefits each of their members receive and I want Christian leaders like you to be in the know about Medi-Share:
- The typical family can save $500 or more per month on health care costs
- They provide Employer Health Care Plans for Churches and Business
- All members receive FREE UNLIMITED Virtual Counseling
- All pastors who are members of Medi-Share have access to the Medi-Share Pastor’s Alliance, a community that provides support to leaders of the local church.
I encourage you to visit the Medi-Share website to download your FREE Report and start exploring how much Medi-Share could be saving you or your church / business on health care costs!
– Brian