Today, I wish to speak to young aspiring and middle level managers.
I was recently listening to a talk by the Late Dr Myles Munroe about True Leadership. He said we have many leaders in the world, but not all of them are TRUE Leaders. His listed five key points that define true leadership.
- True Leadership is not about Control. A true leader instead focuses on serving others
- True Leadership is not about Power but about Empowerment
- True Leadership is not about having people simply follow you but it is about having a sense of Purpose
- True Leadership is not about manipulating people to perform but Inspiring people to want to perform
- True Leadership is about ‘Becoming’. As you grow and become a strong leader, you inspire others to do the same
In my career, I have come across many young, new and middle level managers who believe that leadership is all about the title or the power that comes with the title. They are obsessed with walking around in their smart suits, issuing orders and reminding their teams who they are.
What they do not realize is that no-one will ever remember you for your title but they will remember you for who you were when you interacted with them. Maya Angelou said it so well when she said “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
In a world where we have far too many fake leaders, I want to urge you to focus on being a TRUE Leader. Empower your teams to grow, make decisions and take on challenges. When you do this, you are building them up. Inspire your teams to be the best version of themselves. There are many leadership styles one can adopt, and each style works for different scenarios. However, one key leadership style that is often overlooked is servant leadership. The outcome of servant leadership is said to be the achievement of authority rather than power. Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric and considered to have practiced servant leadership wrote “before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.”
Remember, a strong team is a reflection of a strong leader. Build a strong team around you and you will no doubt be a successful and True Leader.
