Know When You’re Ready To Be A Leader
If you look into life, there’s a universal pattern that everyone undergoes in the way we learn things.
When you were an infant, your parents probably had you on baby walkers with wheels which gave you an initial taste of how it feels like to get on your own feet and move around. If not, then you were holding onto your parents’ hands while they smile admirably as they see you take your first baby steps.
Fast forward, we learn to study and analyze information on our own, equipping ourselves with the skills that allow us to become self-sufficient and purpose-driven. During this stage, whenever we fail, our parents don’t catch us with their hands anymore, like a baby falling on his back after an attempt to walk. Rather, they let us understand the situation ourselves and enlighten us of how we can create solutions and learn from challenges. A constant repetition of this cycle throughout our early years and finally, we can stand up on our own two feet.
As we age, we find ourselves navigating through life and carving an indelible mark that becomes our contribution to society. The torch has been bequeathed to us by those who have passed and now, we set off as the bearers of wisdom.
At some point in our lives, and you may not be aware of it, we are presented with the option to lead or to follow—either of the two does make an excellent choice. I have met countless successful individuals who according to them, “did not do anything special nor went against the flow” to get to where they are now. They merely followed the conventional approach and became good at it. And, there are those special individuals, whose influence spans from one continent to another, bringing a whole new meaning to making life a little more bearable everyday.
The moment you become enlightened of your purpose, life will playfully test you to assess whether you will pull the trigger and create a circle of positive, growing influence to your community or you will be inspired by that influence coming from somebody. The opportunity may arrive in the form of your teacher asking you if you can lead your schoolmates and perform at the school fair, or when your chef unexpectedly calls out because of a family emergency, making you the person that people will look up to for the rest of the day to lead the kitchen.
Once you take that offer and say yes to it, it’s like signing an irrevocable contract with fate that you are to take charge and create positive outcomes for those around you. Make no mistake, as the path is not easy. You will receive a modicum of support when you’re just starting. It’s up to you whether you will prove to become successful or a fail.
Leadership
Leadership comes in different scales and magnitude, but regardless of the scope, any form is noble, as long as it is being utilized correctly. Being the head of a household is a form of leadership, as your spouse’s and children’s lives depend on your decisions. Mentoring a student is also a form of leadership, for your are transferring valuable knowledge to the apprentice who will eventually utilize the wisdom to benefit others. Being the head of an S&P500 company bears great responsibility as countless families and even the economy, depend on your vision.
A leader positively influences a person or his community. Through him, a person’s life or people’s lives become better, although, it doesn’t stop there. An effective leadership teaching will ripple tenfold in such a way that those whom have been influenced will find themselves becoming leaders as well, implementing the philosophies to their own followers too.
What does a leader need to possess in order to take that step forward?
An Effective Leader
A leader is emotionally mature and stable
Although some may contest that having a trove of quality experience or being wise must be first on the criteria, I beg to differ. As I get older, the more I realize that an individual who has control over his emotions is far better off than a wise man who has his feelings scattered like the stars in the sky. A person who is temperamental will find himself struggling to gain respect from others. But a man who can control his feelings more often than not wins people’s hearts. Times have changed and people are more sensitive (yes, I said it, and I will not sugar coat it) or get easily offended by anything that you say. Having your emotions in check in high-pressure environments have been perceived to be a desirable trait that people look for from somebody that they follow or admire.
A leader is an encyclopedia of growing negative experiences that he turns into positive ones
Having deep knowledge about something doesn’t make somebody a leader. It is how that knowledge has been acquired that weighs more than anything. In order for you to become a leader in your own field, people must see that regardless of outcome, you are somebody who can turn the tides to your advantage. A wise leader has a collection of failed attempts that he learned from, claimed responsibility for, and took to heart all the lessons, so that he can carve a straight path for his believers to walk on. If you are someone who always blames somebody for failed outcomes, then you probably might not be ready to lead. Having to admit fault is something that goes against the grain of our ego, but the moment we let go of that guard, is when we become enlightened.
A good servant and example
I have never in my life seen a successful leader who did not walk the same path as the one that his followers are on. Good leaders lead by example and the principles that they believe in run deep in their veins. In order for man to become who he wants to be, he must first show his dedication to undergo any sacrifice necessary to refine his character. Only through constant friction of refinement can diamonds truly become what they intend to be, same goes with people. If you are somebody who says that we can move mountains, you better be the first person to be seen pushing the mountain! Only when people see you practicing what you preach, will they then follow you.
A leader has a clear vision
Having a direction and a clear vision makes a goal easier to achieve. It’s like a car driving along a smooth freeway, with your GPS on, directed towards your final destination. While there may be detours along the way due to construction, you still have a clear path of when you will arrive and where you will end up at. Having a clear vision also allows your supporters to understand the message you are sending them. It aligns your aspirations to theirs, creating a synergy or a bond that is difficult to break as everybody is contributing to that idea to materialize.
A good leader knows that he can only go faster by himself, but can go further with his team
I was watching a segment regarding a chef who opened his restaurant. At some point during his interview, he mentioned the words“If I want to go fast and accomplish all the things that I need to do, I can do it myself,’’ then he finished with words, “but if I want to grow and go further, then I need my team.” These gave me instant goose bumps and moved me in such a way that it made me realize the importance of a good teamwork.
Looking back in the past, when I was just getting in the ropes of leadership, I thought that the spotlight was just on me. I was always thinking about my idea, my plan and my way. Little did I know that the people around me slowly felt so little, small and unimportant. It was difficult for me to gain their respect or to even align our goals on the same level because they didn’t have any input. But then, I changed the flow of how I run things— I lay a concrete goal for my team and empower them to find ways to reach the desired results that we are looking for. I began to let my sous chefs (kitchen managers) or cooks figure things out and find solutions for common problems that we can solve immediately. I always tell them that if a problem can be solved by their intuition, then they don’t need any permission from me and that I TRUST their decision(s). But if a problem seems to be something that concerns a larger scale, then a mid-level manager have to step in or I step in. This creates a well-organized flow of operations that helps me eliminate things that I really don’t have to worry about and focus more on the things that matter, and at the same time, my team gains a sense of ownership in what they are doing.
A good leader knows that he is only as strong as his weakest link
Leadership entails a strong sense of mentorship. Without mentorship, then a leader is just producing robots who follow him. Just like in industrial manufacturing, metal chains are strengthened by ensuring that the gap that connects both ends (of every unit) are welded together seamlessly. If not done properly, then a unit of the chain snaps, breaking the connection. A leader knows that he must mentor or train everyone in his team to be as strong as he is, for he knows that if everyone is on the same level, then it’ll be difficult to destroy the bond or connection that they share.
Now that I’ve laid out the skills that you must possess as a leader above, we now move to the question, “How do we know if we even want to lead?”
These are the signs that you’re considering the idea.
An Itch
Yes, it starts with an itch that you’re unable to get relief from. You see how people do things and you always tell yourself that there’s a better and more efficient way to do them. You’ve been wanting for people to take notice or realize that you carry something special and valuable, but you’re being pushed to the side. In some cases, they do see your potential and skills but the people just think that you’re too young and inexperienced to take a leadership role. These scenarios suppress your feelings of becoming a leader, only to realize that it just makes those feelings ignite stronger. That’s the itch. As an upcoming leader. the need to express yourself becomes all the more important, the way you get that message across to the people is the relief that you are seeking for.
When it’s starting to be difficult to remain as a follower
Make no mistake of associating the word “difficult” as a negative word that corresponds to anger, chaos or going against something or someone. In this context, the word relates to a time in our lives where our wisdom deepens better by learning from other people’s or your own mistakes. You’ve been envisioning how beneficial your philosophies or leadership will affect the people around you. As it relates to the itch, you’re a good follower, but it has been getting difficult to just follow. You want to put your own mark to the process and let people know that you’re doing something different.
You’re not afraid to bear responsibilities & be held accountable
A common theme amongst upcoming leaders right now is the lack of accountability. These so called leaders are enjoying the spotlight and fame, but cannot take even a single ounce of accountability when things go south. When all is well, they are loud. When something goes wrong, you can’t even hear them breathing. This not how a leader is, this is a celebrity.
As somebody who is considering to be a leader, you are well aware that more responsibilities are going to be handed over your shoulders. What’s more is that if one of those responsibilities “fall” from their place, under your jurisdiction, then you must take the blame for it. Blame nobody else. This is why it is important to polish or mentor your weakest link to be as strong as you are. If you are not afraid of claiming fault for the actions of other people or your own, then you’re in the right path.
Just like anybody who has about 80 years to live, at some point, we take off and fly high in our respective careers and begin to understand what we are really capable of. If you think of it, all those times when we were “held by the arms” by life, experiences or failures coming to us—were the patterns that paved the way to how we evolved into who we are now. We might not be aware of it but we are so unique in every way, in every experience, in every trial—hence the reason why some people find success early while some are still in the pattern of discovery.
Yes, it takes a lot of guts and confidence to be a leader, but what’s more important is to surpass the fear of “not being enough,” to surpass the “held-by-the-arms” phase and just to embrace all the challenges that will present along the way. This thing, leadership, is not an easy endeavor to be in, for it requires a lot of heart and drive. You’ve probably heard of the phrase “get out of your comfort zone,” and notice that not everyone conforms to this idea. Why? Because it involves the process of going back to being a baby again— having no knowledge of how to walk and support their own two feet. If I were in my sixties or fifties, I may be naturally cautious about getting out of my comfort zone to face a new challenge. But if I know that time is on my side and I carry wisdom, then nothing will stop me from pursuing such a thing.
So folks, if you see yourself possessing these qualities, then you might want to consider taking the lead and influencing several lives in your circle to make them better. Like I said, there is nothing wrong with being a leader or a follower, but realize this: whatever you choose, it’s your life that you are leading. At the end, leadership still wins the day.