Guest Post by Mark Sanborn, Author of the NTY Bestseller, The Fred Factor and Fred 2.0
Over the years, I’ve used several definitions of the term leadership. Here’s one I keep coming back to: Leadership is the ability to help people and organizations surpass themselves. Essentially, leaders enable others to be better than they’ve ever been, and take their organizations to places they’ve never been.The acid test of leadership: are your people and/or organization better as a result of your leadership?And here’s a question to test your leadership abilities: If you were stripped of your title as well as any ability to reward or punish the people who work for you, could you still get results with them?
- Managers have power over people; leaders have power with people.
- Management is a function of position, while leadership is a function of skill.
Before anyone can lead others, however, he or she must first master him- or herself. Personal leadership, therefore, is the ability to surpass yourself–your previous performance and accomplishments. It’s about getting better at what you do no matter how good you become. Make positive change and growth–in yourself and others–your primary leadership objective.
First master self. Then achieve power with people.
