I was reading a book on leadership, when someone remarked “Aspiring to be a manager are we…”
There still seems to be a wide confusion between being a leader and being in charge.
So to put it clearer – you may call yourself a manager or the boss – but that doesn’t mean you are a leader.
One of the best examples of a natural born leader was in one of my admin jobs. She was an administrator and had never been a manager. She certainly hadn’t done any management courses.
Even though I had been there one week it was clear who was leading the department.
She hadn’t been there the longest.
She didn’t know the most.
Yet she was always the first one to turn to for advice.
Everyone looked up to her and whenever there was a problem she would take charge and set the direction of how to get out of the mess.
She certainly wasn’t the manager – she had taken to hiding from all the problems in a private office and never coming out.
Whenever we were in the deepest world of shit, while others panicked and had melt downs, she always seemed logical and calm.
You could confide in her for advice or any issues. She was happy to teach, coach and develop others and never saw the improvement as others as a threat to her own career. She viewed the improvement of others as a way of everyone being better off.
That was the true leader in the office and everyone knew it.
So remember – although we can’t all be a manager, everyone can potentially be a leader
Until next time
“Aspiring Leader not boss” James
Perfect Manifesto 