In this post I want to explore the larger side of leadership … the reality that every individual, regardless of rank or station in life, has the opportunity to lead the way. And although there are many quotes I could gravitate to toward underscoring that reality, I want to quote Ken Blanchard, the author of The Heart of a Leader, who stated in his book that “Leadership isn’t just about having a powerful position. Anytime you use your influence to affect the thoughts and actions of others, you are engaging in leadership.”
In making that statement, Blanchard succinctly defines leadership as having influence … a statement with which I fully agree. Underscoring this, let me resurface a quote utilized in a long-ago post, one from John C. Maxwell and his book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, “The true measure of leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less.” And Richard Chait, in a June/July 2004 article in Board Source, also pointed to the significance of influence in saying that leadership is “the power to influence culture, values, and beliefs. The ability to shape agendas and priorities.” To be sure there are many, many other qualities that help to comprise what we traditionally see in a leader, but when you boil it down, influence is the critical characteristic. If you cannot influence others to follow your agenda or to get on the bus with you, you cannot lead.
So, how does one raise their influence quotient? Although there are many roads that lead to evolving one’s ability to influence others, I can speak best to my own road traveled. For me, the single most important step in that journey was gaining belief in myself and growing confidence in the process. It is very lonely sitting out on the end of an idea branch … for all to see and potentially throw rocks at, but influencing others, and therefore experiencing leadership, is about taking such risks. Goethe described the alternative well in saying that “The dangers of life are infinite and safety is among them.” Once you become a willing idea contributor, you have the opportunity to shape discussions and influence the decisions-made. And this can come at any level on the food chain. You don’t have to be sitting at the head of the table or have all of the answers, you just need to be willing to contribute to the process. Indeed, in my many years in nonprofit management, the bulk of the really good ideas that made it to the table were from middle managers and below … those people most in the trenches.
That said, the next logical question to surface is how does one embrace risk-taking … how does one learn how to take those leaps of faith? Although there is a natural weave of this through most of us, clearly some are much more risk-aligned than others. However, when mentored down this road, even the risk adverse have the opportunity to take such leaps. And this surfaces a critical function of all leaders … to grow those around them. And when it comes to growing risk-taking in others, perhaps the most available opportunity for any leader is to encourage absolutely everyone to be a part of the process. Isabel Briggs Myers, the late American psychological theorist and co-creator of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, provides us with a clear enough process … “If you don’t know what an extrovert is thinking, you haven’t been listening. If you don’t know what an introvert is thinking, you haven’t asked.” Simple enough, ask and listen … but mean it when you ask for an opinion and listen intently. Mary Kay Ash, the founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, had an interesting twist on this, “Listen long enough and the person will generally come up with an adequate solution.” Asking, encouraging and listening are the three legs of this mentoring stool.
So, to the leader I would say … invest in others and grow their belief in themselves. Help them to contribute … help them to grow their confidence and therefore their leadership skills. And to the would-be leader I would say … believe in yourself. Know that you can make a difference. And share your good thinking whenever the opportunity arises.
Author Cross-references:
Mary Kay Ash: None
Ken Blanchard: Also see post 9/10/09, 5/11/10
Richard Chait: None
John C. Maxwell: Also see posts 12/8/08, 6/5/09, 6/26/09, 11/20/09
Isabel Briggs Myers: None
Key Word Cross-references:
Chance Taking: Also see posts 12/12/08, 3/25/09, 7/7/09, 11/1/09, 3/12/10
Confidence: Also see post 2/19/09
Encouragement: Also see posts 1/13/09, 9/9/09
Influence: Also see posts 12/8/08, 2/25/09, 2/18/10
Listening: Also see posts 8/3/09, 9/9/09, 10/26/09, 1/29/10
Mentoring/Nurturing/Developing: Also see posts 12/8/08, 12/12/08, 1/13/09, 2/6/09, 2/28/09, 6/5/09, 7/7/09, 9/9/09, 9/15/09, 10/26/09, 12/5/09, 1/6/10
Tags: Leadership
on Leadership ... by Steven Davis, CAE 
Leave a comment