Behave Like a Leader or Get Out of The Way

Happy 2015! The first week of the new year is always fun – some introspection about the year gone by, cautious or unbridled optimism about the year ahead (I tend to swing wildly between the two!) and of course committing to resolutions that are meant to be broken. And my introspection and optimism always brings me back to a topic I feel very strongly about. Therefore my first blog in 2015 is dedicated to it. That topic is ‘personal leadership’.

Leadership is Complicated. Especially at the workplace.

We criticize those in leadership positions for not doing enough or doing it badly. We wait to be formally appointed in a leadership role to display leadership. And very often, when finally in that role, we display the same short-sighted tyrannical behaviour of those we condemned previously.

We all know how this cycle pans out and the culture of fear and nepotism it creates. We’ve all been part of that company, the company where leadership was the privilege and responsibility of the few and the rest were cast firmly in the role of ‘followers’. It’s a culture that stifles imagination and innovation, celebrates stereotypes and will ultimately demotivate both leaders and followers.

So I say, let's uncomplicate leadership in 2015 and beyond.

Let’s democratize leadership. Democratizing leadership means that we all behave like leaders in our own sphere of influence and don’t wait to be led. Democratizing leadership means you, me and everyone can make a difference.

Leadership is accessible to all of us. I believe we all have hidden or expressed leadership traits. Leadership is as much about one’s ability to listen, understand and relate as it is about leading people decisively and successfully. Unfortunately most people don’t believe they’ll ever be anything more than a follower. Most people undervalue their ability to make a difference. Most people lack the one defining quality of leadership – self-belief. None of this is a good enough excuse.

When companies and society democratize leadership, making it both a right and responsibility something wonderful will happen. People will forced to act like leaders well before they think they are one. It shouldn’t matter what you do. Whether you are a factory worker or the Chairman of the Board. What does matter is you think and behave like a leader. 

As Tony Robbins says, "Whatever you hold in your mind on a consistent basis is exactly what you will experience in your life."

Leadership on the job is often about getting the little things right consistently rather than the big things right once in a while. And that’s the scariest thing about leadership. It always puts you firmly outside your comfort zone and is the headiest mix of adrenaline and fear, confidence and self-doubt. The trick is to continuously expand the self-imposed boundaries of your comfort zone.

I don’t believe people are born great leaders. It’s a process of evolution. There are things one can do to grow into leadership. Here’s my list of the top 4 things you can do to unearth your own leadership potential .

1. Power of Curiosity: Be insanely curious. Read, explore, ask, invent and don’t fall into the trap of pretending to know everything. Re-engage with the curiosity you felt as a child – to know, to understand and to ask. You’ll unearth not just lots of new information but a great leadership trait. That trait is of empathy, of openness and of connection with those around you.

 

   
   

2. Play the part: My ex-boss in my very first job told me something that changed my life. He said “Act and dress for the job that you want, not for the one you have.” You have to signal to the world that you are leadership material by doing three things – behave like a leader, speak like a leader, dress for success.

 

   
   

3. Be bloody good at what you do: Be the subject matter expert in your current role, the guy who gets things done. People want to attach themselves to successful people and be led by them.

 

   
   

4. Don’t be a jerk: You would think that this is pretty obvious but it never ceases to surprise me how often behaving badly at the workplace is considered okay as long as one delivers financial/business results. Strong, collaborative relationships are the bedrock for leaders to succeed and it’s never too early to start building them.
   
   This year, let’s commit to personal leadership. Let’s commit to making a difference.
   As Margret Mead said so beautifully “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."