Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:28 — 19.7MB) | Embed

True Leadership Isn’t About Position!

The easiest way to define leadership is by position. Once you have the title people will recognize and identify with it. However, positions can be misleading. Positions always promise more than they can deliver.

It is a known fact of life and leading that you can be the chairperson and hold the gavel, but in fact another member of that Board or Committee may in fact be the leader – they hold the influence! You can have title, but that alone does not make you the leader!

Let’s consider eight significant downsides to Level 1 leading with Title only.

Having a Leadership Position Is Often Misleading – This is true because title tends to define leadership as a NOUN instead of a VERB. It becomes who I am and not what I am doing. Leadership is action – not position!

Leaders Who Rely on Position to Lead Often Devalue People – When this is true, a title leader attempts to hold on to their position often times above everything they else they do. Their position becomes more important than the work they do, the value they add to their subordinates, or their contribution to the organization.

Positional Leaders Feed on Politics – When positional leader value position over the ability to influence others in a positive manner, the environment tends to become very political.

Positional Leaders Place Rights Over Responsibilities – Inevitably, positional leaders who rely on their rights develop a sense of entitlement. They expect their people them, rather than looking for ways to serve others.

Positional Leadership Is Often Lonely – The phrase “It’s lonely at the top” must have been uttered by a positional leader or someone with a personality disorder. Positional leaders are often lonely if they misunderstand the functions and purpose of leadership. If you have others alongside you, it is hard to be lonely.

Leaders Who Remain Positional Get Branded & Stranded – Leadership is about INFLUENCE! You give time, influence, modeling, resources, and opportunity. Here is an observation: When you give little assistance to potential leaders, they still succeed because they are talented. If you give all that you have to mediocre leaders they still do not succeed because they lack the ability to establish themselves as a good leader.

Turn Over Is high In Positional Leaders – High turnover is always the result when you rely on position. People quit people, not organizations. Good leaders leave when they have to follow bad leaders.

Positional Leaders Receive People’s Least, Not Their Best – Can you name one organization that gets the least from its people and is the best at what they do? Can you name one coach who gets the least from the team and wins championships? Can you name one married couple who gives their least and has a long-term relationship?

LINKS

Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast is now on iTunes – SUBSCRIBE

Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast is now on Stitcher – SUBSCRIBE

FREE GIFT – “The Art of Balancing Candor With Care” – Click on the icon at the bottom of the page

Executive Coaching Service– Private message me for details on this customizable service

Music: “Gratitude Mood” by David Arivett. You can learn more about his music by clicking on his name. THANKS DAVID!