Is Leadership a thing of the past? Why is it so difficult to find leaders that clearly articulate a vision and adhere to company standards? What defines a good leader? How does one become a good leader? I think leadership needs to be reinvented. I’ve spent many years in a big corporation where you had “programs” and “slogans” but in the end, nothing really changed. Why?
I believe it’s because no one really and truly challenged the status quo in an effort to promote what true leadership means. Establishment types are afraid to stop pushing, bullying, and coercing employees into a mold of their desire. The net result of this arcane model is that work becomes “good enough” just to make the boss go away.
Former Navy SEAL commander Jocko Willink (author of “Extreme Ownership” with Leif Babin) recounted a profound lesson on leadership: “There are no bad teams, only bad leaders.” Babin further stated that managers need to check their egos, be humble, and learn what they can do better to lead their teams.
Leadership tendencies begin in your head and are influenced by your environment. Do you desire to succeed? Do you hang around people with a like mindset? Remember your parents telling you that you will become the company you keep? Any negative influence in your life will boil over and fester into your mindset. Don’t believe me? Start observing those around you that have a negative outlook on life, constantly complain about something, or are never pleased with the circumstances. Don’t let the past control your future – learn and move on.
There are good days and bad days. That’s just life. A leader has to be consistent with chaos and success. Consistency comes from marching to the beat of your own drum without letting the outside noise influence you one way or another.
Write down what your actual strengths and weaknesses are as a person and as a leader. Take a look at that list and imagine what impact each of those items has on the people around you. Actions speak louder than words. What is your moral compass and do you use it to guide your day to day activities?
