What Leadership Is Not

Leadership is not being condescending to lesser. Leadership is not using emotional triggers to trick people to working at it your way. Leadership is not manipulating others. Anyone can do that and become a Catholic Priest. Leadership is not lying or telling stories or coaxing someone to your way of thinking.

Leadership is not about deception or misdirection. Leadership is not about staying on top of the heap at all costs and using those below you as ponds. Anyone can do that. Leadership is none of that and the sooner you figure that out the better off you are able to be and those who try to be like you will be.

Some say that leadership is a vision event and indeed the current makes a lot more sense. The ideal leadership comes from leading by example. Leadership is watching, observing and acting decisively and leadership is about trust. You must confidence your own abilities and those nearly ought to trust you too.

Leadership can be a natural trait or one you develop over time. Leadership comes amidst a opinion and it has to do with your commitment, a sense of honor and integrity and expectations of the same. Leadership some say is the most intangible asset in any organization and Leadership is one of the simplest traits to possess and the hardest of all to keep. That is what I believe leadership is; what do you think? Consider this in 2006.

Chris' Top 7 Favorite Leadership Books

1. The West Point Way of Leadership.

GREAT book by a man who taught leadership at West Point for 20 years.

2. Developing the Leader Within You.

All around book. Follow-up book is Developing the Leaders Around You.

3. Lincoln On Leadership.

Looks at the Life of Honest Abe and the lessons of leadership he exhibited.

4. Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

A classic on everybody's list

5. Servant Leadership.

Reminds us we serve those who follow.

6. Leadership Jazz.

Lots about shaping the values of an organization.

7. Oh The Places You'll Go.

(Okay, it is a Dr. Seuss Book, but I kid you not, this could be subtitled Leadership Lessons for Kids... And Big Kids Too. I read it to my kids often and am reminded of what it takes to have a successful journey.)

What is Leadership?

Leadership is what every organization needs and so few have in adequate supply. Part of leadership is what the first President Bush called "the vision thing". It's the ability to see what does not exist and then gather, mold and shape the resources needed to make it happen.

Part of leadership is passion for the purpose and the mission of the organization. But it needs to be passion with direction and focus. It needs to have strength of character; courage, integrity and fairness or it cannot sustain itself.

Leadership needs to have drive and initiative. It needs to have faith that what you are doing is the right thing. It needs to inspire that same faith in others because leadership understands that you can't do anything worthwhile alone.

Leadership is what plows the road of doubt, fear and uncertainty. Leadership paves the way for others to help create something that did not previously exist. Leadership has broad shoulders but a gentle heart.

Leadership changes our world. It's not about power but it empowers anyone it touches. Leadership makes things clear and simple and forthright. Leadership makes all good things possible.

To be a leader is to see the future. A leader sees what is not yet there but what is possible.

In the end, leadership is about faith and people and purpose. It's about having the vision to know what to do, the faith that it's the right thing to do and the courage to enlist others in the pursuit of your vision.http://www.mainglobe.com