In a recent post, Randy Conley of the Ken Blanchard Companies discussed how often the topic of leadership is overcomplicated and offered his seven simple truths for leadership:
1. There aren’t any shortcuts. Leaders build themselves not in the classroom but in the game. Leadership is hard work and most of it is on-the-job training.
2. Great leaders start by being great followers. Successful leaders are those who learn to be part of a team and work toward a larger goal by being good followers first.
3. There’s no mysterious secret to leadership. Despite a rash of books and speakers claiming to have unlocked the secret to leadership, there is no secret.
4. You already know what it takes to be a good leader. Starting with the kindergarten lessons of being nice and playing well with others and layering on more mature dynamics like holding people accountable, being transparent and authentic, and having difficult conversations when needed.
5. The difference between management and leadership is overrated. Yes, there is a difference between leadership and management, but the two overlap in so many areas that it is important to learn them both well.
6. Leaders aren’t special. Conley acknowledges that “We’re all bozos on the same bus.” The best leaders view leadership as “service,” which means those the leader serves are more important than the leader.
7. Leadership is much more about who you are than what you do. Leadership is a calling, which makes it more about values, beliefs and attitude than behavioral tricks or techniques.
Source: Leading with Trust by Randy Conley – The Ken Blanchard Companies.