TO LEAD?

Are You Fit

12 Signs You‘re Not Up For The Challenge.

We have all seen or worked with people unfit to lead.

Many times these folks are well intentioned -ambitious people who do their level best; unfortunately for the rest of us, they can leave a trail of chaos and dysfunction – the products of poor leadership

and unintended consequences.

Before you seek a leadership role, consider what is motivating you. Management- like leadership - is difficult and complex. Your

motives need to be aligned with strong leadership principals. Seeking leadership based solely hubris or a desire for social advancement and monetary gain is self - deceptive or self-

deception: regardless of the size and scope of your organization , this mistake can have far reaching and significant effects. Here is a test for aspiring leaders: if these points describe you you’re not a

leader!

Sign 1

YOU ARE RISK AVERSE

Someone told me our ability to succeed is congruent to our ability to fail. To be sure, there are great successes and

great failures.

As Theodore Roosevelt stated in 1910 –“ ….his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat” More often than not, we overestimate

the probability of something going wrong. Similarly, we exaggerate the consequences of what might happen if and when it does happen. In too many workplaces, our greatest challenge is that we deny or discount the cost of inaction

and continue on with the status quo. This leads to an organization feeling restricted and people feeling stuck in

unsatisfying careers.

The great American poet Henry David Thoreau described this condition best when he wrote “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in

them.” Poor leaders look at risk mitigation first – but we know perfection is the enemy of good. Follow Cardinal

Newman’s advice regarding perfect plans: "A man would do nothing, if he waited until he could do it so well that no one

would find fault with what he has done."

Sign 2YOU DON’T EMPATHIZE WITH OTHERS

Empathy is the ability to identify and understand another person’s feelings or

situation. Leaders need to understand the needs of the people following them in order

to be effective.

Empathy is not the same as sympathy. Empathy is the ability to appreciate someone

else’s perspective.

This is a critical trait because when you truly understand the needs of your staff, you can provide the support they need to succeed – ultimately leading to greater productivity ,

collaboration and success.

Sign 3

YOU DON’T GET RESULTS

Real leaders perform – they meet their objectives – they

consistently exceed expectations.

Sub optimal results equal no leadership – it’s just that

simple.

Sign 4

YOU GET RESULTS THE WRONG WAY

If the only way you can solve the challenge is through

unethical behavior,

Machiavelli was talking about you in his political satire The Prince when describing the

cynicism of the autocrat or one – man- rule leading them to

believe “the ends justify the means”. If you abuse your position of authority, fail to treat people with respect, or confuse manipulation with

leadership, you will win nothing more than a Pyrrhic

victory.

Optics over ethics is illusory and short term – malleable

fools and sycophants will be your only fans in the long run.

Sign 5

YOU DON’T CARE

Indifference is a characteristic not well suited to leadership. You simply cannot be a leader if you don’t care about those you lead and the vision your

following.

The real test of any leader is whether or not those you lead are better off for being led by

you.

Sign 6YOU’RE SEDUCED BY A TITLE OR

POSITION AND NOT A HIGHER PURPOSE

If you value self-interest above service you have misunderstood the concept of

leadership. A look into the etymology of the word “leadership” proves instructive; the term originates in the ancient root “Leith”

which means to go forth and die – usually in battle.

Leadership is about caring about something beyond oneself, and leading others to a

better place – even if it means subordinating your self-interest in the process.

Power often comes as a derivative of leadership, but it’s not the source or summit

of true leadership.

Sign 7IT’S EASIER TO MAKE

PROMISES THAN KEEP THEM

Leadership isn’t about a narrative; it’s about one’s

actions. Leadership might begin with articulating a vision or

objective; however, the leader must lead out of one suboptimal state to a more perfect state. To

some degree this can be measured in terms of freedom. In other words, the true leader must

make people to one extent or another more free.

Sign 8YOU MARGINALIZE PEOPLE

Don’t think for a minute explaining why subordinates can’t do one thing

or another is leading. Leader’s demonstrate how things can be done.  Leaders teach people how to reach

places they previously believed were beyond themselves.

As Robert Browning observed, “a man's reach  should exceed his grasp,

or what's a heaven for?”

Sign 9YOU ARE A RULE FOLLOWER

INSTEAD OF A BREAKER OF MOLDS

Status quo is the great enemy of leadership.

Leadership is nothing if not understanding the need for change, and then possessing the ability to

deliver on it.

Sign 10YOU CHURN TALENT

INSTEAD OF RETAIN IT

Real leadership serves as a talent magnet and career accelerator – not a talent repellent or career mitigator. If you can’t acquire talent,

can’t develop talent, or can’t retain talent you are not a leader.

Will your direct reports be going on to bigger and better things under your mentorship? Or

will you be managing down and keeping people under your hyper- critical eye?

Sign 11YOU TAKE CREDIT

INSTEAD OF GIVING IT

Leaders don’t seek all the attention. The great leaders lift others up-help them shine and

that is their victory.

“There are 2 types of people: those who lift you up and those

who pull you down.” ~ Lou Holtz

Sign 12YOU ARE AN AUTOCRAT

Autocrats, like all misguided utopians, think they know better than everyone else in the room. If you’re the head of cardiac surgery at University Health Network or a

physicist at McGill University, maybe you always are the

smartest person in the room. But most of us are closer to the mean.

Ask questions, be collaborative and be humble.

"Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out

how far they can go." ~ T. S. Elliot

NEED TRAINING?St. Lawrence College

Corporate Learning & Performance Improvement

works with over 350 organizations and thousands

of students focused on programs and skills that

address the demands of the new economy

To book a spot in our Leadership programs visit us

at our website:www.slccorporatelearning.ca