What Leaders Do

"A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way." -John C. Maxwell

In the past few months I have been transitioning from being an "individual contributor" to managing people. Managing people is not something that I would say is my strong suit. Management involves administrative paperwork, charts and numbers to obtain.

What I do like is leading people and not because I believe I am a great leader. Leading people is a challenge for which I enjoy the scary nature of it. You are at the front of the line with a vast and dark forest in front of you. There is no light to guide or tell you which way is safest.

To be further back in the line is important for all that needs to be done. But safety exists when you have someone to follow. The path is being cleared in front of you and you must trust the knowledge and instinct of that one person leading the pack.

So it begs the question, what do leaders really do? And in his book What Leaders Really Do - John P. Kotter says that a difference has to be drawn between what a leader does and what management does. This isn't to say that one is more important then the other, but to help us understand that they are different.

He states; management is about coping with complexity; it brings order and predictability to a situation. Leadership, is about learning how to cope with rapid change. And how does this distinction play out?

• Management involves planning and budgeting. Leadership involves setting direction.
• Management involves organizing and staffing. Leadership involves aligning people.
• Management provides control and solves problems. Leadership provides motivation.

It is an interesting book that helps dispel some notions about why leaders do what they do...and of course why they don't do what they don't do. I hear people at times bemoan the fact of why the top leader of an organization gets paid to do that particular job. Many fail to realize what exactly it is those leaders do.

Sure, there does seem to be a disparity of compensation but that isn't the point. If you have anxiety or jealousy over your compensation versus a leader's compensation, get over it. And then get up and make those changes needed to become a leader yourself. What is important here is to help you understand that being a leader involves different skills.

You may say that you don't possess those skills and I'm here to say that each of us do have those skills. Albeit at different levels of skill, we have them. As you read again the bullet points above, compare what you already do in life similar to what a leader does.

Set direction, align people and motivate...think planning a family outing to go Christmas shopping. You provide direction as to the what is going to be accomplished (get the Christmas shopping done), assign the right people to look for the gifts (maybe the kids shopping for similarly aged cousins, etc.) and then motivate them (we get this done we all go out to eat).

It does not just mean running a large corporation or even a small one...it is what you do in every day life which shows that the skills are there. You just have to believe in yourself first and then hone those skills. And how do you hone those skills? You read, you take classes, get a degree, practice, you keep faith in yourself and others, while maintaining a great attitude about it.

What you will find is that accepting a position at church or with the local school will occur. Other people will start to notice and acknowledge your leadership qualities. That is why you are being asked to lead them. Once you have a position of leadership, don't squander the opportunity. Use your leadership to better those around you, lead them to greatness.

Be bold, be a leader....and as always, stay inspired my friends.