Hello and welcome to a new work week. It’s another opportunity for you as a leader to lead and influence situations for good. I trust that you had a good weekend and that you’re well-rested and ready to ‘fire on all cylinders’ this week.
Today, I’ll be answering an age-long question; What makes a good leader? This question is one that can generate answers that are as long as the distance from Europe to Australia, and we will still not be able to agree on any single answer.
It is true that we all have different answers and opinions as to what makes a good leader, however, I have one perspective on the issue that offers a sensible and practical answer. The interesting thing is that this perspective was inspired by an unusual source; the world of dance.
I was watching one of my favorite programs on tv; a dance program. I love dance as an art which is why this program is one of my T.V faves. Anyway, after one of the dances, the judges were giving their comments on how the dancers performed and one of the judges said something that lit up a few lightbulbs in my head. He said when he was learning ballroom dancing, he asked his teacher what makes a good leader (ballroom is a couple’s dance where the man usually leads the lady). He said his teacher’s answer to what makes a good leader was this; “your ability to follow what you lead”. What an answer! This sent sparks to the four corners of my head 🙂
I know that answer is related to dancing and the world of dance but it is equally applicable to leadership in organisations too. That answer gives a fresh perspective to how we can describe a good leader and I like it. I like the answer because it points to the fact that leading is not just about where you are taking your people to, which path you guide them towards, what you tell them to do, or how you interact with them. This answer points to all that and something more, something I consider to be a glaring fact about leadership. Here’s the glaring fact: your reputation as a good leader is largely determined by your ability to lead others in the very things that you yourself can follow. While this might sound like leading by example, I believe it is deeper than that. This is because leading by example is largely about what you do that can be seen and emulated by others.
Following what you lead on the other hand requires you to submit to the very things you are leading others in or towards. The vision, the expectations, the mission, the standards, the processes, the goals, the strategies, the culture, etc. Are you able to follow the things you ‘lay down’ whether or not someone is watching? Do you believe in the policies you set like you want your people to? Are you passionate about the organisational vision like you’re stirring your people to be? Are you willing to follow someone else’s suggestion/innovation/solution if it is better than yours but leads you towards the set goal/vision? Do you believe in the things you are leading your people towards? Are you committed to those things like you want your people to be? Can you follow what you lead?
As you start a new work week, this is a good time as any to think about this question; can I follow what I lead?
Please be aware that this is not just a one-off ‘question and answer time’. It is a regular reflection question that you will do well to incorporate into your developmental plan. This is because it will help you recognise where there are gaps and where you can make necessary adjustments. Asking this question often will keep providing the answer you need to help develop yourself into, and also remain, the good leader that you really are.
Lead Right and Live Light,
Belinda
