Leadership isn't a profession. It doesn't come with a title. It doesn't come with a how-to manual. And while you can learn the art and science of leadership, knowing how to apply it goes beyond expertise.
The reason leadership is unlike any other profession is simply because it isn't a profession. It's not a competency you simply learn and apply. Leadership involves people and thus, the ability to influence others to engage with our vision and mobilize into coordinate effort to achieve a common objective.
Can you get up on stage and deliver a joke masterfully if a writer provided you with the material? I've tried. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. The times it worked I can assure you that it was expressed from an authentic version of my interpretation. Leadership is no different. It was me being me in a way that was delivered with humour and honesty.
How can you teach someone to be funny? How can you teach someone to be authentic? How can you teach someone to connect and influence others?
Leadership goes well beyond competencies. And while I can't quote a book on statistical proof, I can tell you that from my experience, there are two types of people I coach: those who want it and those who don't.
Those who want it the most need it the least.
And those who want it the least, desperately need it the most.
I recently read Judith Glaser's book Mindset. I highly recommend the read. A nice way of looking at two ends of the spectrum. Those who have a fixed mindset and those with a growth mindset. I believe this is the starting point for any leadership development effort.
In the spirit of keeping these posts are brief as possible, I hope to have planted a seed as I continue to roll out more of these more often.
Cheers.
