ess patiently test the temper of the times and make every effort to ensure success for their cause. Great leaders balance their zeal with caution and vigilance in crafting the strategies they wish to pursue.
Don’t ask for permission
Leaders do not wait to be appointed or ask for permission. Leaders know what they must do and they set about doing it. Leaders do not ask for authority or permission, but through the example of their actions receive both from their supporters.
Leaders begin their leadership from where they are; they do not wait until they have been vested with the approval of some external administration.
Leadership is about change, and change is messy. Experienced leaders know that nothing ever turns out the way it was planned and that there will be stumbles and mistakes along the way. They choose strategies that are flexible and adaptable rather than rigid approaches and formal frameworks.
Leaders don’t try to control every aspect of the work that they are attempting, but allow supporters to contribute and bring to the cause their talents and skills as well as their weaknesses.
Serendipity and chance are sometimes seen as significant contributors to the success leaders. Leaders are constantly on the lookout for opportunities to further their causes. This is why strategies that allow leaders to adapt with agility are often essential to success.
Raise the bar
Leaders expect more of people than people willingly demand of themselves. The causes that require leadership also require extraordinary commitment from more than one person. Raising the bar brings the leader’s role full circle back to going first. The leader must raise the bar within before being able to credibly raise the bar and expect more from others.
A big part of raising the bar is establishing values and standards for appropriate behavior. Many causes have failed because their leaders were not willing to hold themselves to the standards they spoke about in public.
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Leaders are, when all is said and done, human beings. They are burdened by all the frailties and flaws that have hampered humans since the beginning of time. Just as leaders must acknowledge that their supporters are human, they must also acknowledge that they are just as likely make mistakes. It is the human aspect of leading and leadership that makes it seem so complex.
At its heart, though, leadership is incredibly simple. Go first. Just do your best and in so doing, inspire others to do their best. If your style is right for the situation and your vision is right for the times, you will be recognized as a leader.
Today’s guest contributor is Ivan Serrano, a business, finance and social media journalist living in Northern California.
Image sources before quote: Shutterstock | http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-131437046/stock-photo-fishes-in-group-leadership-concept.html?src=QXVycNt7–RuyO-FbvnHLQ-1-3&ws=1 | http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-94604302/stock-photo-missed-turne.html?src=&ws=1