Leadership Is Not About Position or Title

I've read most books on leadership from author John Maxwell. He is a prolific writer and speaker. The book I'm reading now from him is Intentional Living: Choosing a Life that Matters. This was in my email in-box this morning. Think about what he wrote here, and then about our national political conundrum.

 

The ONE Stand-Out Attribute of a True Leader
When I was a young man, I played king of the hill with my buddies. Have you heard of this game? The object is to get to the top of a hill or a mound, and it usually involves having to pull someone else off the hill in order to be at the peak.

Has your job or career path ever felt this way? I’ve seen it in offices, as well as with PTA groups. It seems there’s a common culture for fighting for position in almost every arena of life. But there’s one thing that separates true leaders from the “king of the hill."

INFLUENCE
I’ve always said leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less. But I want to help you really understand what I mean because it’s crucial for you to move ahead in your life and gain greater potential.

In today’s Breakaway, I’m going to give you two keys to mastering influence that you must understand in order to take the hill, stay on top, and lead others well.

“Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.”

THE TAKEAWAY

1. Permission: The first thing you need in order to gain real influence with people is their permission. What do I mean by that? I mean you have to build a relationship with them. You see, when you have relationships, people follow you because they want to, not because of your title over them. Why does this matter? Because relationships put energy into your work. Your returns will be greater. You will build momentum.

2. Production: The second thing you need to develop (side by side with relationships) is a reputation as a producer. You need to be someone who gets things done, acts with a high level of competence, and is reliable to your teammates. Permission allows you to gain the trust of others, and production makes them stay. People choose leaders who are going to take them places they’ve never gone before.

There are five steps to developing true, lasting influence, but I want you to start with these two. They are the foundation to your success as an influential leader.
NOW IT'S YOUR TURN

I want you to understand one very important thing today, my friend. Being a leader has nothing to do with your job or your position or if you are a stay-at-home parent, a student, or well into your retirement. Influence pervades every area of your life.

Choose one person in one area of your life and begin adding value to them. Develop a deeper relationship. Take them where they’ve never been before in their daily pursuits. If you can do these things well, you’ll see your influence multiply.

Your mentor,

John