Leaders ACT!

If you search for the word “Leadership” online, you will get 37,000,000+ results. In addition, there are countless books and seminars on the subject of Leadership, yet our thirst for insight about leadership remains unquenched. Is it because people everywhere are searching for guidance on what great leadership looks like? Could it be that people in leadership positions want to be better at it? Or is it because we sense there is an absence of leadership in our world today? Whatever the reason, it seems there are a lot of questions about leadership so here are a few thoughts on the subject:

Leader vs. Manager 

I’ve often heard the term “manager” and “leader” used interchangeably when in fact, they are very different things. General (USA-Ret) Colin Powell once said,

“Leadership is the art of accomplishing more than the

science of management says is possible”.

A manager, is a person whose job is to deliver results with the resources they have while looking for ways to improve (better, faster, cheaper, etc.). In contrast, a leader is a person whose job is to change the momentum of an organization, and take it to a different, better place than it is currently in.

The Key to Success 

Whether the organization is big or small, public or private, military or commercial, or even non-profit, Leadership is often the difference between success and failure. While markets, products, services and business models may differ, the need for Leadership is essentially the same. The leader is responsible for setting the tone, determining the course and challenging the team to be the very best they can be. If the leader doesn’t do these things, who will? The leader is at the top of the organization for a reason: Everyone is looking to that person to tell them where they’re going and why.

Leaders Act 

In addition to setting the tone and direction for an organization, it is also the leader’s job to take action when necessary. Many troubled organizations are floundering not because the leader did the wrong thing, but because they did nothing. Perhaps it’s fear of doing the wrong thing, or belief that they need every piece of information before making a decision. No matter the reason, a leader’s failure to act is tantamount to putting your head in the sand and hoping things get better. Former President Teddy Roosevelt said,

“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing,

the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.”

Leaders can talk and meet and discuss but if they don’t “do” anything, they aren’t doing their jobs.