Andy Lee
I was about thirteen years old when I had my first taste of leadership. It was during school lunchtimes. We’d get 35 minutes for lunch break. I’d spend 30 minutes of it playing football. Because it was my football, I would be in charge of gathering the players, picking the teams and keeping score. I don’t know why the owner of the football was given the overall authority to arrange everything, it just happened that way.
Since then I’ve probably been in hundreds if not thousands of leadership roles. I would imagine, so have you. There are hundreds of different definitions of leadership, but I like John Maxwell’s the best, “Leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less”. That means any time you’ve been in a position to influence someone, you’re expressing leadership.
My extensive research (five minutes on Google) has informed me that on average, we will interact with 80,000 people over our lifetime. That’s a lot of potential for influence! Whether we label ourselves as a leader or not, and whether we’ve ever been given any official authority as a leader or not, we need to recognise that each of us are leaders. The question is not whether you’re a leader, the question is whether you’re a good one.
I’m going to focus on three qualities that I believe contribute to strong influential leadership.
Leading with Authenticity
You were made to be you. That’s it. We run into all sorts of self-inflicted problems when we try to be someone else. There’s a big difference between following someone’s example (role model) and trying to be that person. We must find our own voice. Here’s two ways to do that:
• Raise your level of self-awareness: Regular self-reflection is the key to unlocking your potential and a catalyst to help you lead more authentically. Be mindful of what makes you tick. Take time to understand how you think, and what rules you’re living by as you make decisions and take action.
• Accept yourself: Do not be held to what society thinks is acceptable. Be prepared to expose yourself to rejection and criticism. Wholeheartedly accept your imperfections and limitations. Embrace your God-given talents and abilities, and avoid wearing different masks for each role you play in the different areas of your life.
Leading with Confidence
There are many factors that contribute to a leader’s confidence, such as authenticity as mentioned above and humility explained below. The best practical advice I can give in this area, the same advice I give to my clients, is ‘act as if you are’:
• What would a “confident you” look like?
• How would a “confident you” talk?
• How would a “confident you” behave?
Answer the above questions in detail. Then practise applying them into your daily life, or in situations where you want to increase your leadership ability. For example, I would look calm, hold my head high instead of looking at the floor. I would dress smart and be well groomed. I would speak clearly whilst making eye contact, and be ultra comfortable talking about myself. I wouldn’t belittle myself, nor play down my strengths to appease others, and I will confidently ask questions about things I’m not sure on. The best way to increase your confidence is to picture how a confident you acts, and then simply act that way. The more you act as if you are confident, the more confident you become. The more confident you become, the more you’re going to act as if you’re confident. It’s a cycle!
Leading with Humility
Being humble magnifies your impact as a leader and means you will end up avoiding the many leadership traps out there. Traps such as arrogance, being judgemental, comparing yourself to others, being controlling and many more. Here’s some ways to practice humility:
• Say thank you: Thank people for every contribution – their support, suggestions, ideas and time. Practice thankfulness at every opportunity.
• Serve others: Be genuinely interested in other people, listen well and seek to understand. Focus on serving others and pay attention to their desires, needs, and wants. Always show respect for others. Look for ways to encourage others based on their motivations.
• Be curious: Always be learning. Have the same attitude as an eager student. Have an insatiable desire for knowledge and understanding. This is the beginning of every achievement. It also constantly reminds you of how much there is yet to know, and will keep you open minded to new ideas, methods and possibilities.
So, there you have it. Some practical ways to develop your own leadership (influence) with authenticity, confidence, and humility. Now go ahead and raise your leadership level!