Alexander the Great persevered against all odds. He conquered cities and entire regions deftly, with a shrewd genius that still baffles military experts.
So cunning was his strategy, in fact, that on certain occasions he simply showed up threw down his flag and proclaimed the chosen territory "Alexandria." With his troops always near, Alexander changed the borders of Egypt, Asia and Persia by uniting different ethnicities and fusing tribal customs. And in so doing, he changed the culture of the ancient world and laid the foundation for the region today.
History is a powerful teacher and one that comes with plenty of business lessons--from both heroic leaders and failed ones. Alexander was a hero and a warrior, yes, but first and foremost, he was a leader. He inspired, rewarded and acknowledged those who fought alongside him. He instilled confidence and trust. His soldiers were willing to follow him anywhere.
Great leaders do many things, but perhaps their most telling characteristic is a natural and authentic ability to inspire excellence while maintaining strength and a modicum of humility. These are the people who will lead you to success--in the battlefield or in the boardroom. The true reflection of a leader's ability is measured not only in a company's bottom line, but also in the success and empowerment of each individual.
Being a boss doesn't necessarily make you a leader, nor does being bossy. In fact, a leader isn't always the boss. The difference between the two is this: Bosses manage; leaders inspire. Anyone can manage, but not everyone can lead.
Great leaders command confidence and trust not by demanding, but by encouraging. Even in the face of defeat, a great leader will tell you to get up and keep fighting. And more often than not, failure is part of the equation. That's OK, because great leaders know when to admit their missteps and have an equal willingness to learn from them.
Right now we seem to be somewhere between the "mindful" leader and the very touchy-feely "collaborative" leader. Today's best leaders are those who, either through effort or subconsciously, adapt their styles to resonate most effectively with the needs and personalities of their companies and teams. These leaders are embracing and encouraging change--changing business models, changing economies and, most of all, the changing labour pool. And in the process, they are revolutionizing today's business culture.
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams
“Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” – Warren Bennis
To be a good leader, you sometimes need to go down the untraveled path. Being bold in the face of uncertainty will help give your team courage and motivate them to keep striving when the going gets tough.
“You don’t lead by pointing and telling people some place to go. You lead by going to that place and making a case.” – Ken Kesey
“No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself, or to get all the credit for doing it.” – Andrew Carnegie
“To lead people, walk behind them.” – Lao Tzu
Finally, “Successful leaders see the opportunities in every difficulty rather than the difficulty in every opportunity.”- Reed Markham.
What’s your favorite leadership quote? Share in the comments!
- Blogger Comment
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(
Atom
)
0 comments:
Post a Comment