Is there a Leader within everyone?
There are several self-help books and other resources that entice us to develop the leader within. But, is there really a leader within everyone? If so, then how does that corelate with the six archetypes and how are each of them unique & different from each other?
Explain, using examples and references, and relate your comments to the Four Principles for Purposeful Action.
This post was written by Jimy George, who will lead the discussion for the week starting on March 17.
Anyone can read a book and believe they posses the required skills to be called a leader. Although do they really posses these skills?
Probably not, a leader is a type of person that wants to lead and not follow others. There are followers that strive to be leaders, but will always be followers. A leader archetype will always have a leader within, and typically an entrepreneur will be a leader of some type also although they not always are.
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/rural/facts/94-081.htm
Quotes from the above article:
“Leaders should be well organized and have made time in their lives for their organization. Leadership requires commitment.”
“Leadership can be learned. We all have leadership potential, just as we have some ability to sing or run. Some people may be better than others, but each of us has a starting point to build on with training and practice.”
We can learn from others and start as followers, but we are all not leaders.
Brad
Great point, I agree that all cannot be leaders, there has to be followers and there are some that are very happy always being a follower
There are five traits of leadership that is important for awaken the leader within us.
1. Leaders have zeal, courage and self-confidence that enable them to get out front of the crowd and risk the price of failure.
2. Leaders see opportunities among the challenges.
3. Leaders can motivate themselves without waiting for others to light the spark of action.
4. Leaders listen; they identify the cravings of those whom they would lead. They show empathy.
5. Leaders have the ability to communicate so as to convince followers that they have the answer to the question that resides in all of us: What’s in it for me?
source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Career-Advice—What-Makes-a-Leader-a-Leader?&id=2013352
I agree Chandrika, those are some important leadership traits you listed. However I would like to add some more comments to your post.
“If your dream is to be a leader but no one recognizes you as having the talent or ability to be a leader, know that you can develop these skills.
-Start small by assembling a small team of people for a work, home or community project.
-Share your vision, your plan and your goals
-Get feedback from the people on your team
-Delegate tasks with clear instructions and expectations
-Stay in touch with your team members to get progress updates, see if they have questions, make sure they are on task, etc.
-Overcome challenges, recognize progress, celebrate successes
-Wrap things up when your project is completed by thanking your team, asking them for feedback on what worked well and what could be improved, and giving yourself a pat on the back
-Choose your next leadership project!”
Reference: http://blog.donnadoyon.com/?p=140
Nice points Chandrika. Very simple and yet strong!
Yes,there is a leader within everyone.There is a leader in you. If you can think, feel, hope, empathize, cry, smile, or wish, then you have a leader inside you awaiting a courageous awakening. You have within you the power to change lives, to improve lives, to give hope, to restore faith, to heal and mend broken lives, and to share promise. The preacher, the teacher, the social worker, the government, or the missionary can only reach so far and so many. Yet you, and you alone have the power to touch every life that surrounds you, every person that you come in contact with, even if only a smile as you pass by someone. Never underestimate the power within you as a leader every time you take a step, every time you take a breath, every time you have a thought. You are a leader to someone. You are a mentor to someone. You are the only hope that someone ever has. You can be life or death to that person, and you may not even know who that is when you see them. You can and do make a difference. You are an example. You are a powerful and influential leader. No matter who you are or where you are or what situation you are in, someone is watching you and learning. Someone is looking up to you. Even the least of us, who I am one of, have power and influence over lives as we enter the world and simply live and breathe. There is a leader in you. Use what you have, whether arms, legs, mouth, motion, thought, or whatever you have… all that you have… to act upon your passion with compassion and give hope to those around you. Serve, be the greatest servant, and you will be the greatest leader.
source:http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Leader-Within—Passion,-With-Compassion&id=1912331
Very strong points Chandrika. You have embraced the emotional aspects of a leader which I think are very necessary for been an effective leader.
Everyone has the ability to be a leader by influencing others to follow them. People are either leaders or followers. To be a leader, a person must have supporters who admire or identify with their cause to follow them. The Four Principles for Purposeful Action are a blueprint on how to be a purpose leader and not a follower. They will guide a reluctant person when the occasion arises to look within and emerge as a leader. George Washington, the first president of the United States of America, expressed a great reluctance to lead the fledging nation. But he did so with great distinction and honor that he is consider standard bearer of US Presidents.
http://www.emergingleader.com/article13.shtml
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/lessons/gw/reluct.html
Margaux,your post was informative.
Venkat,
You pointed out good 5 more points:
1.A leader must have vision
2.A leader should be able to travel in to an unexplored path
3.Leader must know how to manage failure.
4.Leader must have courage to take decision
5.leader should have nobility in management
This shows that Leader carry the characterstics of all archetypes, in a balanced way.
I think an important factor for a leader is the ability for manage failure. In business we do not desire failure in any sense, but it does occur in the real world. Failure is going to occur eventually during any leadership role and the leader must know where they will need to direct their actions once a failure has occurred. In troubled waters a leader must still be able to maintain a clear path.
I think that anyone can learn leadership skills through training and guidance but I think that in order to be a true leader you must have certain god given characteristics and traits. Take a trustee for an example. They do not have the motivation and the vision to be a true leader. I believe that there are some things that cannot be taught. Most often when one is a trustee they will always be a trustee because they don’t have the necessary characteristics to develop into a true leader.
There are debates to this topic and it can be argued either way. In my opinion though, the great leaders were born with the natural ability to be a leader. This is not too different than an athlete being born with the ability to play a sport or Tiger Woods being born with the ability to play golf. He was given lessons at a very early age but even the best lessons can’t make someone with no natural talent be a truly great player.
People skills are another attribute that is necessary to develop into a true leader. In my opinion this is a naturally born trait not a learned trait. There are some people that don’t have people skills and even though they are placed in leadership roles, will never truly be a purposeful and effective leader.
Here is an article that supports that a leader is both born and taught. Again, this topic can be argued either way and anyone could find supporting articles for either debate. What I am expressing in this post is my opinion on the matter.
http://www.threestarleadership.com/articles/bornormade.htm
I agree that some individuals have God given characteristics that perhaps give them an advantage with certain leadership skills. You use the phrase “true leader”, but since truth is so objective, at least in many contexts, it is difficult to determine who or define what a true leader is, assuming of course we are restricting our discussion to purposeful leaders.
Remember that all of us exhibit characteristics from all the archetypes, depending on the given situation and circumstances. So, in this way, it is not beyond possibility that given the right circumstances a Trustee can certainly rise to the occasion as an effective leader.
Nikki
I also believe that there is something born within leaders, and the events in their lives brings this “leadership” out.
These leaders may recieve training to enhance their natural abilities, but I believe most is from “inside” the individual