Leadership Isn’t a Reward for Performance, It is a Calling!
The way most organizations choose a leader is to promote a good performer. Even though they may lack the skills, talent, or even the desire to lead.
In other words, leadership is a reward for great performance. We take our top producers, promote them, and then expect them to take the rest of their team up to the same level of performance that made them so great. In some cases this scenario plays out as expected, the sad truth is that in most cases it doesn’t!
Companies are filled with unhappy workers not because the employee’s dislike the company, but because they dislike their leader. Yes, we’ve all heard the statistics that say people don’t leave companies, they leave lousy leaders. And yet, we continue to reward performers with leadership positions and wonder why our turnover is so high?
A Leadership Failure
Recently, a friend of mine walked away from a potential job because of the interview that took place with his future leader. The guy was a jerk, talked all about himself and reiterated how important he was!
After his interview, HR had a follow up conversation, my friend said he wasn’t interested. When HR asked what caused him to back away, he told them the truth.
Guess what? Based on their response, they knew he was a problem. Yet, they still turned him loose on prospective employees. And they wonder why they can’t attract talent and their market share is in the toilet?
3 Thoughts About Being A Leader
Being a leader is not the same as being a manager or a supervisor. I define a leader as, a person who influences others to do or to be their very best. Being a Leader means:
- You possess more than just talent and skills. It requires a burning desire to help others transform their lives so they can reach their maximum potential. If you were called to lead, you will do what ever it takes to achieve your goal to be a great one.
- It isn’t only about desire either, it requires that you lean into the truth about who you are at your core. It requires that you push through obstacles and self-limiting beliefs so you can show up full out, with all of your talent, brilliance, and genius.
- The focus of your leadership is not about you! It’s about the people and it is a privilege to lead.
Are You Called To Be A Leader?
So where do you stand as a leader? Below are 3 questions to help you do a serious gut check. You can answer them and be brutally honest or you can dodge the truth. Skirting the truth will not impact you immediately, but I promise it will impact you…eventually!
- Do you have a burning desire to lead? Is it truly your calling?
- Are you clear about who you are at your core?
- Who is the focus of your leadership, is it you or your team?
3 Actions You Can Take:
- If you answered ‘NO’ to question number 1 you might want to do you and your team a favor. Resign, quit, walk away. There’s a very good chance you are doing more damage than good.
- If you answered ‘NO’ to number 2. Start by buying the Strengths-Based Leadership Book It includes an assessment that will help you discover your 5 base strengths. It is a great first step. Then hire a Leadership Coach to help! Need one? Click here
- If you answered ‘NO’ to number 3, it’s probably time to do a gut check and a realignment . If you’re not willing to do that you might want to revisit action number 1.
