The Real Secret of Leadership

No one’s job title is leader. Or if it is, it’s only that one person at the very top of a profession, company or country who gets acknowledged as such. And yet, we often refer to people we have worked with or for, as being good leaders, despite them being a lot further down the ladder. Or course what we are acknowledging are certain traits we see in them, which match our criteria for a leader. Perhaps an impressive confidence, or a ‘everything is fixable’ attitude, maybe it’s their genuine passion for a higher purpose, or their ability to see the bigger picture and how all the parts contribute. Or maybe the main reason we see them as a leader, was the way they made us feel. They saw our potential and wanted us to succeed. They made us want to give our best and we flourished in their company.

When we describe such leaders, it can be easy to feel intimidated by the prospect of taking on a role which requires more of those qualities. After all they seem very abstract. We may wonder if some folks aren’t just born with a larger dose of leadership potential than ourselves. Or if our brains are up to the wider scope of responsibilities and considerations that a leader needs stay focused on.

It’s very likely that your own leadership heroes had the very same doubts at some point. However, there is one key which can lock many of the qualities we are talking about.

No matter what your job title, there are four aspects which every person must manage in order to fulfill their job. And everything you can think of is covered by them.

Responsibilities, Resources, Roles, and Relationships.

In order to manage these four, you need to have both skills, i.e. practical knowledge of how to do the ‘stuff’ but also personal ‘qualities’.  

Personal qualities are often under-appreciated in theory, as skills and knowledge seem so much more tangible, however imagine if just one quality such as ‘patience’ was missing from your personality; how much would that affect the quality of your work and relationships? Or how having no humility or conversely no confidence would affect your behavior in the next office meeting. We are often employed in the first place, not because we were the only one with the credentials applying, but because the interviewer recognized that our personality was an asset to the company.

How are our personal qualities formed and how can develop them? This is an important question for a would-be leader. If I lack patience, or confidence or authority how can I develop them, and how long will it take? Will I have to have grey hair or even lose my hair by the time I am sufficiently wise and mature enough to be a real leader. The answer is no. In fact, you can become a leader over night!  At least you can unlock a huge resource of unused leadership strengths within you, by one simple shift in your thinking.

Essentially our personal qualities are created by a process of thoughts which lead to feelings, which create attitudes which come into our actions, which if repeated form habits which become part of our character and ultimately produce a result or a destiny. 

But what leads us to think one thought over another in any given situation. If something happens, we will all respond quite differently. Our responses will be coloured by our perceptions, beliefs, memories, etc.  But at the top, the biggest factor colouring our thinking and therefore the chain of actions and reactions which come from that – is Identity.

Most of us have experienced or witnessed the huge transformation evident in a new parent.  Slobs become hygiene freaks. The lazy become productive.  The casual becomes careful.  The live in the moment types – can become long term strategists. 

If such a person were to simply work on becoming clean, careful, productive, long terms strategists because they believe they should be that, it would never happen. Motivation is hard to sustain long term. However, identity change is irreversible. Parents who develop these qualities overnight do so primarily through a shift in their identity. 

The biggest secret to becoming a leader, the secret that will unlock those mysterious abilities and wisdom – is to see yourself as a leader, to let it truly sink into your self-image, your identity. You must adopt a new parent like acceptance of your change of role, and the loss of carefree youthfulness that is inevitable when you are no longer part of the crowd. 

When you see yourself as a leader, you automatically see everything from a different perspective. Your eyes seek out talent, your brain works on solutions to problems you would previously dismiss as someone’s else’s.

Your focus changes from self to others, from details to big picture. And your manner becomes more mature and confident as you and say and do what is needed for the higher clearer purpose you are now aligned with. 

From claiming the identity of leader, in its noblest and humblest form, you begin to invoke all that is required to fulfill your new role. Then when you act from this new self-image, others will eventually start responding accordingly. People will begin to see you as leader. This then helps to cement your identity, in a self-perpetuating upwards spiral which benefits you, your company and everyone who works for you. 

On this Leadership for Administrative Professionals Course you will learn not just how to manage your responsibilities, roles, relationships and resources in the manner of a leader, but will learn what are the essential inner changes you can take to under pin everything you will think, say and do, in you very personal journey towards becoming a true leader. Check the link below to register now:

https://aztechtraining.com/course/leadership-for-administrative-professionals

 

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