The Proven Path to Leadership
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Don’t push people into leading. Desire to lead is leadership’s first requirement. If they don’t desire leadership, step away. Reluctant leaders are burdens to colleagues, followers, and organizations.
If they desire leadership but feel anxiety, don’t worry! Desire includes anxiety.
Follow the desire to lead;
face anxiety as you go.
I remember an emerging leader who said he wanted to lead but didn’t want people to expect anything from him. He didn’t realize how ridiculous he sounded. Thankfully, he matured through his apprehensions.
Growth:
Growth always creates anxiety. New challenges bring feelings of inadequacy. Press through inadequacies with preparation, relationships, and courage.
Press through anxiety or
the current world becomes permanent.
The path:
Address apprehensions with a proven path to leadership.
“There is no magic formula that says if you do this you’ll lead effectively. But there is a magic formula to get there and it is very, very dependable.” Dr. Henry Cloud
The big four:
Dr. Cloud explains four necessary building blocks to become a leader:
- Relationships: We develop in the context of relationships. Find mentors, coaches, advisors, and guides.
- Information: Learn everything you can about leading. “Do your homework.” Attend conferences and read books.
- Experience: Learn to lead by leading. Seize opportunities like volunteering, for example.
- Structure: Schedule leadership development activities. Development is an intention not an accident. Take yourself to lunch once a month, for example.
Listen to Dr. Cloud in his own words:
Development resource: One hour conversation with Dr. Henry Cloud on Boundaries for Leaders.
Dear Dan,
All the four components are absolutely essential to any effective leadership path, Relationship, information, experience and structure. They are arranged in hierarchy. I think relationship is the first and foremost ingredients to develop leadership.Developing context is the leaders first priority. Environment is the platform that provide either push or pull effect. Conducive environment work as a launching pad and toxic environment works as a pulling force that discourage people. Providing leadership example provide strong reason for people to follow leaders. It also support leaders credibility and confidence among people.
I also believe that leaders should inculcate a feeling of good character among people. It means leaders should reflect them as a ideal character with good values. Personal example in terms of achievement or doing different is essential. But showing the path that may help people to connect with people outside the organization is also necessary. I think, organization operate in the social context and leaders should address and connect with society demands as well.
Thanks Ajay.
Modeling and connecting are powerful components on the path to leadership.
I have found that some of the very best leaders I have encountered are those who had to be nudged into it. They had the necessary humility and vision, what they needed was a bit more confidence. I do tend to be puller of folks into leadership (okay, okay, you might call it a pusher on some days). I think it depends why they are reluctant.
Thanks Karin.
I’m so glad you brought this up. It’s true that in the very beginning people may need encouragement to step into leadership. We tell them we believe in them and encourage them to give it a try.
I’ve also found it important to get to the place of asking, point blank, do you want to lead? I understand if you are apprehensive but, do you want to learn how to be a leader. I love it when they look at me and say, “Yes.”
It’s true, you can’t walk up to someone out of the blue and ask that question. Great add!
Dan this on Sunday when people might be doing other stuff than reading your blog?
I mean I figure Sunday might be a lower readership day. Anyway my point is think about reposting this when as many people who can, can read it.
Great post. We are up to 51 sales this month. Two Jan. 2012. So we finish this month and get to 100 then average that over a year 24 to 1200! I would say without bragging too much I am whupping that dude who preceded me!!!
Your post helps me because I am in new territory blazing the trail everyday and got no clue what to do next(except trusting who sent me, my Higher Power).
So your posts everyday help give me a framework to keep the Juggernaut I am building in the road. Today is the most critical day for what is unfolding in my life and the choices I make today will move the Rock or let it fall back on top of me.
You are helping me everyday Dan and I want you to know you are succeeding in why you started this blog, at least with one person.
Lol a Deist, Libertarian, Adopted, Recovering Paradigm Shifter, Weirdo!!!!! Did you ever imagine when you started who you’d be a helping??? Lol
Sincerely, eternally grateful. Not sure the ever building Juggernaut would still be hugging along and not in the ditch if I hadn’t had an idea here, a concept there Yada yada that I got from starting out everyday pondering what you have shared with me!
Many Thanks! Man this is tough sometimes my brain just gets tired but then HP would not have put me in this position if he/she didn’t feel I was up to it. When I am stressed to where I don’t feel I can breathe another breath I think of Mother Teresa.
Dude mentioned to her one day, wow amazing God has blessed you so, he must really trust you! She responded “yes but sometimes I wish he did not trust me so much”!
Remember The Dude Abides!
Anything I say like just my opinion man. Not saying it will work for you but what if? First 164 pages of that AA Big Book is remarkable if you understand the mindset to use when reading it! Bottom line you have not gone from 24 to 1200 what I been trying to share might help you!!!!!
Thanks Dan the good man.
Shifterp(out) Scott
Dear Dan,
An interesting post with good insight into the anxiety based growth and how a leader handles it with adequate preparation, relationships and courage. I may add two more essentials, own character and communication which can inspire trust to reduce the anxiety of managing bigger responsibilities with conviction.
Identifying and hiring of right talents with effective delegation is yet another crucial element in successful leadership. A good leader grows automatically with every success and largely depends on the investments done in people, process and products per se. However, he controls his anxiety with planned steps and behavior by remaining strong in character.
One way of dealing with anxiety as a leader is to let go of the desire to control. I’m referring to the application of Taoist principles to leadership. In case you are interested, see the following essay: http://www.thewordenreport.blogspot.com/2013/04/taoist-leadership.html
Leaders can identify and grow leaders and can point the way. They look for people who can influence others, but they do need to have a desire to lead others in a positive way to be truly effective.
Hi Tony,
I think that might be the crux of it. Genius will recognise talent, Jo
I’m taking this post as personal advice for becoming a great leader. I have the drive, just need to let go of some the anxiety and work at it.
What are key ingredients to developing leadership?
I think another key ingredient is to find someone else to mentor to in order to complete the circle. As you move forward, they also able to move at a pace several steps behind you. Alcoholics Anonymous has used this model to great success. It creates a support structure that pays it forward. Educational programs are starting to use something similar as well, by having the students several grades ahead work one on one with students who are both gifted and with students who are struggling to keep up. One important thing to remember in the process is to go back to your support when the going gets tough.
Applying this approach on down the line can put leadership on the fast track in an organization
Change agent. An important role for leaders is as agents of change (not necessarily a requirement for being a manager). Change always has an anxiety component — change is unsettling. But change is all around us all the time, and most people meet it with resistance and apprehension. If leadership required nothing else from us except to help manage change, we would still need to deal with anxiety — ours and the people we lead.