Leadership- Misconception of position

 

1. Misconception of Position in Leadership

 “The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority.” (Ken Blanchard)

 There is a prevailing misconception that leadership is about the position because leadership is often associated with job titles. This misunderstanding has deceived more people than all the other misconceptions combined. It has created the illusion that once you attain a certain level of authority, you become a leader. This is untrue.

You may become the head of a department, but not necessarily the leader in that department. The leader is the one who serves and sacrifices the most for a worthy cause. And if that is not you, you are not the leader, but rather merely the person with the position of authority. Job titles and positions are not indicative of leadership, but rather demanding of it.

When an organization sends out a communiqué to announce the hiring of a new chief financial officer (CFO), it usually indicates that a new leader has been hired for the finance department. While there is an element of truth in this, it does not automatically translate to effective leadership.

A new “leader” may have been hired for that department, but the position does not make the incumbent a leader, neither do the responsibilities. While many people unfortunately confuse leadership with positions of authority, positions of authority do not automatically translate to leadership in action.

Being the governor of a state is a rank of authority, just like a high court judge. But until you begin to demonstrate the leadership capabilities of informing, influencing and inspiring others, you are not a leader, but merely a person in the role of authority. No one has the right to claim the title of a leader. It is conferred informally by the beneficiaries of your hard work and sacrifice and by the consistent exceptionalism of your character and service.

Most job promotions, I discovered, are often based on education, experience and exposure rather than on the leadership abilities to effectively inform, influence and inspire others to achieve greater heights. Despite the value of education, experience and exposure, if that new CFO is unable to effectively inform, influence and inspire the people in his department, then that organization has merely hired just another employee. Andrew Carnegie and Henry Ford had no formal education, but because of their remarkable leadership capabilities, history classifies them as exceptional leaders of modern industrialization.

 

A cultural change is necessary for correcting this misconception in your organization. It requires a paradigm shift in the mindset of everyone in the institution, especially those who consider themselves as leaders because they simply hold positions of authority.

 

When governments and organizations consult with me on this topic, I work with them to build a corporate strategy that will inspire every employee to maximize their potential, regardless of their job title. The objective is to create a workplace where employees can best apply their talents and skills both inside and outside the organization.

Since titles and positions are important to organizational structure, communiqués about new positions should clearly indicate the role that is being filled. Corporate memos should emphasize how the leadership capabilities of the appointee or incumbent were instrumental in her successful promotion.

When an organization announces the hiring of a new “leader” instead of indicating the position, they would be subtly communicating to other employees that leadership is a title. They would be telling everyone else that the only person who is paid to lead is the person who was hired for it; everyone else must follow that person thereafter.

If you think that holding a position of authority automatically makes you a leader, you may never become one. Organizations that wish to advance their vision and mission should create a culture where employees can willfully demonstrate their leadership

 

Live a Life

On being asked about the ups and downs of his career, movie star Kevin Costner responded with these words, “I’m living a life.” I found this reply to be profound. Rather than spending his days judging the events and experiences of his life as either good or bad, he adopted a neutral stance and simply decided to accept them for what they are: a natural part of the path he is on. We all travel different roads to our ultimate destinations. For some of us, the path is rockier than for others. But no one reaches the end without facing some form of adversity. So rather fight it, why not accept it as the way of life? Why not detach yourself from the outcomes and simply experience every circumstance that enters your life to the fullest? Feel the pain and savor the happiness. If you have never visited the valleys, the view from the mountaintop is not as breathtaking. Remember, there are no real failures in life, only results. There are no true tragedies, only lessons. There really are no problems, only opportunities waiting to be recognized as solutions by the person of wisdom. 

Don't Dream It, Be It.

Take the Unfathomable Risks

 I will make you this promise: on your deathbed, in the twilight of your life, it will not be all the risks you took that you will regret the most. Rather, what will fill your heart with the greatest amount of regret and sadness will be all those risks that you did not take, all those opportunities you did not seize and all those fears you did not face. Remember that on the other side of fear lies freedom. And stay focused on the timeless success principle that says: “life is nothing more than a game of numbers – the more risks you take, the more rewards you will receive.” Or in the words of Sophocles, “Fortune is not on the side of the faint – hearted.” To live your life to the fullest, start taking more risks and doing the things you fear. Get good at being uncomfortable and stop walking the path of least resistance. Sure, there is a greater chance you will stub your toes when you walk the road less traveled, but that is the only way you can get anywhere. As my wise mother always says, “you cannot get to third base with one foot on second.” Or as Andre Gide observed, “One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.” The real secret to a life of abundance is to stop spending your days searching for security and start spending your time pursuing opportunity. Sure, you will meet with your share of failures if you start living more deliberately and passionately. But failure is nothing more than learning how to win. Or as my dad observed one day, “Andrew, it’s risky out on a limb. But that’s where all the fruit is.” Life is all about choices. Deeply fulfilled and highly actualized people simply make wiser choices than others. You can choose to spend the rest of your days sitting on the shore of life in complete safety or you can take some chances, dive deep into the water and discover the pearls that lie waiting for the person of true courage. To keep me inspired and centered on the fact that I must keep stretching my own personal boundaries as the days go by, I have posted the following words of Theodore Roosevelt in the study where I write: It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows in the end the triumphs of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.

DON'T DREAM IT, BE IT.