Blog

There are as many interesting anecdotes or inspiring stories about being a true leader as there are lessons to enhance one’s leadership qualities. But, for today let us focus on a couple of simple, effective and uplifting lessons for becoming a true leader.

A powerful observation about leadership I have found is that no matter how complicated the issue, or dire the situation, sometimes people simply need to hear from their leaders, “I’m right here”, “I’m with you”, “We’re in this together.”  Being present and available to one’s team can energize them, renew their resolve, and give them the necessary encouragement to see things through. That was the first lesson that was affirmed for me as I gained life experiences through my career as a budding & established entrepreneur.

The second lesson reinforced something I had already learned 15 years earlier in my career through my varied interactions with adept personnel from other professional organizations and companies.

Put simply, I came to believe that the best professionals were the kindest professionals.  Many people think that influence or leadership presence is earned by being imposing or austere, or by seeming busy, unavailable, or unapproachable.  In fact, many aspiring leaders worry that the vulnerability that accompanies kindness, or offers of help, will make them seem “weak.” But I observed the exact opposite. This was a powerful lesson.

What’s more, I found that whenever I was helped to by an “expert-level” professional during hardships or struggling times in my career, not only did I feel assured that the issue or problem was in good hands and that everything was going to be okay, but I also felt uniquely motivated to stay the course.  In a situation where despair and hopelessness could easily have set in, their eagerness to be helpful gave me faith in the process and inspired me to match their spirit of contribution by giving my maximum effort possible. Their unwavering “How can I help?” attitude had a profound impact on my own energy levels.

I have seen time and again that the same is true in leadership.  The more we approach our work from a place of, “How can I help?” the more effective we become.  To achieve optimal outcomes, the people who are depending on our leadership must see how devoted we are to their success, that we have their backs, that we are willing and able to pitch in to reach shared goals. After all, why should they care if we don’t visibly pledge to do the same?

Leadership is not becoming that very visible, immovable brick in the sturdy wall but being the almost invisible cement that holds the bricks together to form that sturdy wall.

It makes sense. Why should they trust us if we’re not right there with them?  Yes, we must champion high standards of performance.  But we’ve also got to support those high standards with a caring attitude towards the people involved.  When we offer to help, we let people know that they’re in good hands, and we invigorate the overall effort by inspiring others to mirror our commitment with their own tireless work and devotion.  As I have seen firsthand in my over 15 years of leadership practice, study, and experience — this approach may seem obvious, but it is truly the stuff of leadership that works in the 21st century. And, as simple it may seem, it is all too often easily overlooked.