Inspiring Others To Greatness
THE ART OF MENTORING -
What does it take to be a leader?
It isn’t necessarily being able to tell people what to do. That’s part of it; but to be a good leader you have to understand that everybody is at a different place in life. To have the ability to lead is to have the passion to inspire and mentor others, not just to bark out commands. Being able to give orders is part of the process; but if you want people to follow your lead, they need to know that you actually care about the outcome of their effort. There’s an old saying, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”.
The role of a leader is multifaceted. Having the desire to lead is only part of the equation. If you don’t have a drive to help others succeed, you won’t last very long. Everyone has something that motivates them. For some it’s recognition, for others it may be bonuses or some other type of monetary compensation. It’s your job as a manager/supervisor to figure that out. You can’t do that without getting to know your people.
True leadership is about being willing to serve and acknowledge others who are doing a great job, it’s about engaging with those who have been placed under you in a meaningful way. You’re not part of some kind of special group, you’re just someone that your own leadership has entrusted to get the the job done. Your associates need to see you looking out for them, not just yourself. If you do that, they’ll trust you and be willing to follow your lead.
“Don’t dwell on your differences, try to compromise if at all possible.”
Sometimes you need to be the bad guy, that’s okay, you’re not in a popularity contest. If somebody within your organization isn’t doing their fair share you have a responsibility, an obligation, to let them know. Sometimes you might even offend them; but that’s your job. The trick to effective leadership is to know your people and to be keeping a close eye on their progress.
No, leadership isn’t easy. Just ask any CEO of practically any major company. The demands are as high as the emotional risks, unless you know how to keep it real. You’ll be all alone up in your ivory tower of success always striving to keep your position, or you’ll inspire others to greatness, work yourself out of a job and move to even higher levels of authority.
The choice is yours.
-p
