Leader without a Title

Background and disclaimer:

Anthony Jay says, "The only real training for leadership is leadership". I am, myself, a firm believer in learning from the mud of the battlefield. There is much said about the art of leadership and, perhaps, as many published pieces of work as there are unofficial versions. Having said that, contrary to the often used phrase "Don't try it at home", I would say "Please try before you buy" in the context of what I am going to say below.

Let me also put another caveat that I am not a preacher, but a student in the school of leadership. In that spirit, I would like to share what my experiences have taught me. I will attempt to organize my thoughts as "5 attributes of leadership" in an attempt to keep it simple. But let's first talk about why I picked this title for my post. It is my personal belief that being a leader requires no title. A title is just a delegation of authority. Authority is not what builds a leader and as Donald H. Mcgannon said, "Leadership is action, not position." A true leader emerges in spite of his position. Hence, I will differentiate “leadership” from “management” or other titles often used in that context. 

Leadership is a journey, not an end point. You cannot suddenly wake up one morning and say, "I went to a management school, I graduated and I am leader". There are multiple levels and planes of maturity, much like in a video game. You gain mastery over time with practice.

We have often heard it said that a leader has charisma, or a leader has presence, or a leader is a great orator. I feel  that these attributes are more of a symptom than the cause. What are, then the key characteristics of a leader? My take is here as follows: 

1. Freedom from “ME”

Leaders often demonstrate a high degree of passion. This passion stems from a belief in a cause, a purpose or a vision. A belief, when strong, motivates others to follow the leader. However, the test that comes for a leader is when his own ego gets in the way, when he considers himself bigger than the cause. This becomes the biggest challenge for a leader. This is when you have to love something more than you love yourself.  I heard this put in the most beautiful way in Tron Legacy (the movie): "Take yourself out of the equation". Easy to say, but difficult to attain. It takes lifetimes for human beings to be able to command their ego. Freedom from “Me” allows a leader to see greater possibilities, question more harmoniously, leverage tremendously, inspire more widely, and bond more trustfully for fulfillment of the purpose. Freedom from “Me” is something so powerful and essential, that it should really come in a pill but it doesn’t. It is something that comes from the heart and is developed through practice and reflection, which is why it becomes “the” wildcard in the game of leadership. 

2. Courage till the end

As Rosalynn Carter said, “A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be”. That takes courage.  Courage is not the absence of fear but knowing that something is more important. Whether it is the fear of not knowing how to get there, the fear of not having means to get there, the fear of no one coming along, or the fear of not getting there at all. Having fear is not a bad sign, but not having the grit to overcome it is. A good leader will inspire, take a calculated risk and stand for the purpose, in spite of fear. A good leader will demonstrate grit and determination to stick with it until the goal is reached, irrespective of who follows. “To be able to lead others, a man must be willing to go forward alone” said Harry Truman, and I think he was right.

3. Sense of ownership

A great leader does not take ownership of the solution, but takes ownership of the problem. A great leader will bring others along to find a solution, but will not point fingers for the failure. In that sense, a good leader will refrain from politics. A leader that plays to the politics will suffer from it in his own followers. Even deeper than the political impact, this sense of ownership really influences people around you and inspires them to do the same. If you can illicit this response as a leader from people around you, it has the magical effect of transforming the entire group into “actors” and not “spectators”.

4. Learn more than preach

Leaders that often preach but are not open to new ideas or perspectives will outlive their own impact. Bound in a human form, you play to the constraints of nature like time and space. You are, after all, one person in a single dimensional life. The enrichment of your own knowledge, perspective and intuition happens when you interact with others. These others may come from different lives, experiences, geographies, etc. That is when you get the multiplying effect where good ideas come together to form great ideas and great ideas make great visions. You have to constantly keep yourself connected to that pool of knowledge to learn and ensure that your sense of direction stays valid. Hence, you have to develop how to actively listen, give respect and learn from others.

5. Follow, then lead

I’m not sure where I read this, but it is beautifully said: “You cannot lead if you have not followed”. I was not able to understand this fully till one day after a conversation with one of my former managers. It is not in what he said but his humility to accept a direction set forth by one of his juniors. It is then I felt that this has to do with humility, to see yourself as one amongst the many, to know your place in the universe, to be able to take direction when it comes from another quarter, even if the person is lower or above you in hierarchy or society. To me, it is about recognizing that there are universal laws that are bigger than you. It is when I also get connected to my Indian roots, where we greet everyone with a “Namaste”, which says I recognize the divine in you and I respect it.

In conclusion, I will say “Namaste” to all you wonderful readers. If I have been able to see further, it is only by standing on the shoulder of giants. For the inspiring leaders that push me to be better, I can only say that I hope to get there someday.

What do you think? I would love to hear your perspective...