This week I attended a couple of networking events and the topic of what it means to be a leader came up at both events. I thought I would share with you some of the key points that really stuck with me.
We are all leaders in some capacity. Some of us are leaders in the work place, in our homes, our places of worship, our kid’s T-ball coach…the list goes on. Being a leader is not just being the President of a company.
A good leader will put people in positions to succeed. A person who is great at accounting might not be great at sales and a good leader will recognize that.
Modeling behavior is important for any leader. If you want your employees (or kids, team mates, players, etc.) to be at the office at 8:30 you better be at the office at 8:15. Do as I say and not as I do, really is not going to work.
Take the blame…not the credit. If the people you are leading are doing a good job, people will notice. People also notice when a leader steps up to the plate and takes the blame for something that has gone wrong. I really like this quality because it also shows kindness.
Leaders don’t just drive revenue…they build relationships. They have integrity. They are honest and transparent. People want to spend time with good leaders…they are not afraid of them.
Some books were also mentioned as must reads. The Art of War, Follow Forward, and Good to Great were among the most mentioned. The Bible was also mentioned by one speaker.
What books would you add to this list?