The difference is that leaders embody leadership mindsets and actions. It’s who you are as a person that makes you a leader. Doing leadership actions or holding a leadership position does not make you a leader.
Leadership and Being A Leader
- Look at these examples of leadership versus being a leader and you’ll get the idea.
- To cast vision is leadership. To be visionary is to be a leader.
- To organize people toward an objective is leadership. To be influential is to be a leader.
- To observe market trends is leadership. To anticipate change is to be a leader.
- To step on stage and inspire others is leadership. To be inspirational is to be a leader.
- To teach others the right things is leadership. To model how to determine right things is to be a leader.
- To solve problems is leadership. To recognize opportunities is to be a leader.
- To make decisions is leadership. To be a wise decision-maker is to be a leader.
- To have an organizational role is leadership. To be have spiritual authority is to be a leader.
Notice the lack of reference to position. Where you land in the organizational chart has little to do with being a leader.
It would be great if only those who are leaders where placed in leadership positions, but that’s not what happens. You can lead without a position. Be a leader and work toward the desired result, people will join you.
“So,” You Ask, “How Do I Become A Leader?”
Leaders are developed through learning and practicing leadership behaviours. But behaviours alone are not enough. We need to connect those leadership practices to our mindset, attitudes, and values.
By reflecting on our leadership behaviours, we can spot the inconsistencies in our mindset that keeps us from being a leader. Usually this requires feedback from others, because we are blind to our own contradictions.
For example, a senior manager highlighted the positive, forward-moving features of new programs in her speeches. But in private, she consistently found flaws with most new programs. She saw herself as improving the programs, but others saw her as critical and resistant to change.
As she worked with a coach, she was able to understand how her mindset was sabotaging her development as a leader. Even though she “knew” how to be inspirational and forward-thinking, she needed to find ways to embody being a positive change-agent when not on stage.
Here are 3 questions to assist you in developing yourself and others as a leader:
- In what area do you want grow as a leader? (Where your mindset and actions are misaligned.)
- How could you practice this and receive feedback?
- Who could help you in your development in this area?
Leadership skills can and should be taught. But don’t mistake leadership for being a leader. You are a leader as leadership flows out of who you are as a person. Work on aligning your mindset with the actions you want to live.
You may also be interested in our other blogs:
