Probably no other profession is less clearly defined. When someone says I’m a pediatrician or a cardiologist or an oncologist you might not know exactly how they do it, and you have a pretty good idea about what they do. Likewise, when someone says they’re a tax attorney or a teacher or a plumber, you know what they do.

A leader? Not so much. Ask 10 people what leadership means, and you’ll get 10 different answers.

I know this firsthand. I’ve interviewed more than 60 leaders for my Let’s TAWK Leadership Podcast series, and each of them had a different leadership definition.

Here are just a few:

• Leadership is WHO you are, not just what you do
• Leadership is taking risks for something you believe in
• Impact through dependability
• Creating the big picture and bringing people along for the journey
• Doing what you say you’re going to do
• Leading with purpose, clarity, and heart

Of course, there are common threads – trust, integrity, and accountability. And leadership is deeply personal. No two leaders are exactly alike. And that is the point.

For me, leadership is clarity of purpose and vision. It’s inspiring people to move in a shared direction—and providing them with the tools, space, and support to get there. It’s seeing the “more than” in someone and showing them they’re capable of it.  Leadership is recognizing that every person is unique and creating space for them to succeed in their own way.

So why should we care about “leadership”?

• People leave leaders, not companies. In fact, bad leaders are the number one reason people quit.
• Employee retention is 20 times greater when organizations focus on leadership development.
• 40% of new leaders fail in their first 18 months because of poor fit, poor delivery, or a poor ability to adjust to a change down the road. (Forbes Magazine)
• 77% of organizations report a leadership gap.
• Gallup estimates $630 billion/year is lost in the U.S. on turnover caused by leadership failures. All too often people are promoted to leadership based on their individual performance or company seniority.

Here’s the thing, becoming a leader requires a different set of skills and behaviors. New leaders need the opportunity to develop those skills and behaviors so they can become the unique leaders that only they can be and be prepared to take on a leadership role.

And yet, most new leaders are promoted based on performance—not readiness. We assume they’ll “figure it out.” Spoiler alert: they don’t.

Leadership isn’t a promotion. It’s a profession. It takes self-awareness, intention, and a very different skill set than being an individual contributor. It’s not one-size-fits-all – it is a set of competencies that must be developed.

Invest in learning how to lead before the title shows up on your email signature. And if you’re ready to take the leap, the Keep it Real Leadership program is designed to help emerging leaders build the mindset, skills, and confidence to lead in their unique way.

Till the next time, keep it real.

Karen

The post What is Leadership and Why Should We Care? appeared first on PeopleThink.

One of the activities I often incorporate into the Keep it Real Leadership program is having each participant develop their own “Leadership Mantra.” The original meaning of the word “mantra” was a sacred (Hindu and Buddhist) utterance, sound, or word that was repeated over and over to aid in concentration during meditation.

More recently, though, it has come to mean a statement or slogan that is repeated frequently; a truism or saying. Although the definition has strayed somewhat from its original meaning, a mantra can still be very effective in helping you achieve clarity and maintain focus.  Clarity and focus are essential to your success as a leader.

Your Leadership Mantra is what you are willing to “own” as a leader. It is created by you and for you. It is an oath that you will live by as a leader. Your Leadership Mantra will help you gauge your actions with your colleagues, your direct reports, and your leaders. It also gives you clarity around how you operate in the world. You will make decisions based on your Leadership Mantra. It will serve as a guide throughout the day as you ask yourself, “Does this action align with who I am and who I want to become as a leader?”

It takes time and effort to gain clarity about who you are as a leader and who you want to become as a leader. Self-awareness is key.

1. Set aside two, 60-minute time slots. 

2. What are your top 5 values? What are those non-negotiables that you will not compromise?

3. Describe the best leader you ever had in your career. What were their characteristics and qualities that made them a great leader? What are the characteristics you want to embody?

4. What are your strengths as a leader? What do you do that you know will help you lead? 

5. What type of leader do you want to be? Think about your best leader? Do you have any of their strengths? How would you want to be described as a leader?

6. Begin the process of writing your leadership mantra. Keep it simple, memorable, and applicable.

7. Put your first draft aside and “think” about it for a day or two. Review it in a few days and update it to best fit your leadership style. You might be refining it a few times. Get it just right.

8. Own it…

9. Share it…

10. Live it…

If I am asking you to share your leadership mantra, I guess I better share my leadership mantra. Here goes: 

                “To inspire and teach, so people can dream bigger and see new possibilities.”

And on those days when everything seems to be falling apart or going haywire – use your Leadership Mantra to bring you back to clarity and focus. I know it works for me!

Till next time, Keep it Real…

Karen

The post Learn how to develop your Leadership Mantra that makes you unique appeared first on PeopleThink.