Welcome, everyone. I want to start something a little different. I want to start a series that is near and dear to my heart, and that is leadership. I want to give my thoughts and opinions on leadership and after that, I want to start a weekly series where I create leadership scenarios. You will be able to give your responses in the comments. Hopefully, it sparks some good dialogue. First, let’s start with what I believe leadership is.
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Over the years, the Marine Corps’ definition of leadership has changed a few times. The earliest definition that has stuck with me over the last 21 years is, “Leadership is the art of influencing subordinates to accomplish a task.” The reason why this definition has been so powerful to me is because of “the art of influencing subordinates’ statement. This resonated with me early on because it tells the leader that you need to influence others, not just dictate your terms.
This is one of the first key principles to understand about leadership; no one needs to do what you say. Most people think that when they are placed in a position of power that everyone beneath them has to do what they say. News flash, they don’t. Subordinates may be reprimanded or even fired but they don’t have to listen to a word you say. However, most people are not in a position to lose their job on a whim. The fear of losing one’s job is why many bosses (or tyrants) exist. Alas if a majority of your team starts quitting or getting fired, the finger starts to point at you. We call this a toxic environment. It is in everyone’s best interests to have a healthy work environment. That is why being a strong leader is so important. Leaders can balance the difference between work tasks and personality traits.
I would like to refine my favorite definition of leadership to read as “Leadership is the art of influencing OTHERS to accomplish a task.” This is a major change. As you spend more time in your profession, you will start to learn that you are not just leading your subordinates. You will have to influence other people of equal position to you as well. Finally, you will have to assist decisions being made by the big bosses. Here, you will have to use your leadership ability to understand their leadership style. When solicited for guidance, you need to be able to approach the boss with not only the best information available but also in a manner (and format) that he will be able to digest. If you think you can come in and cram your opinion down your boss’s throat, you are probably mistaken. The first step of being a great leader is becoming a great follower.
How do you influence others? This is the most delicate part of leadership. Everyone has a personal leadership style that they gravitate towards. My base leadership style is very specific and directive in nature. I like to give short, clear directions with very specific guidelines. I worked with so many tyrants that were vague. Because of this vague-ness, I ended up getting yelled at for missing invisible sub-tasks or timelines. I like to present all the information and ensure that the person has all the tools to complete the task. This may sound like hand-holding, but I like the feeling of ensuring my people have everything to complete the tasks. That’s me.
Now, here is where leadership comes into play. I have my base leadership style but depending on the person being tasked, my behavior is modified. For example, let’s say that I receive an email tasker to collect everyone in the unit’s birthdate and to put all the data into a spreadsheet. I may task one person by going step by step (opening the email, opening the excel spreadsheet, telling them the format of the dates, and then giving them the due date). For another person, I may forward the email, walk over, and just give them the due date. With the final person, I may just forward the email with no commentary or due date. It is all about knowing what everyone brings to the table.
As a leader, you have to employ your people to the best of their abilities. Many times this means lumping multiple taskers on your star performer. Your average worker may only be able to complete one task. In public, you praise them equally. In private, you can advocate higher-ups that your star performer has what it takes to grow in the company. Ensure that the star performer gets to meet and greet with some of the higher-ups. This ensures that the star knows that their work is being noticed by the company. As a leader, you have to understand that everyone should be treated fairly, but not everyone is the same. Some people have the natural ability to excel in the workforce and they will grow with little attention. Others may not climb so easily through the ranks. Your job as a leader is to sort out who is who. Give everyone equal chances to shine. Identify who wants to grow and help them grow. The others still need mentorship and guidance. Just in different ways.
Leadership is a topic that has many twists and turns. I look forward to talking more about how to build team morale, identify and fix a toxic environment, and how to create an environment where everyone can succeed.
Disclosure: I am not a financial advisor or money manager, and any knowledge is given as guidance and not direct actionable investment advice. Please research any investment vehicles that are being considered. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it. I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
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