Leadership (continued)

“All human beings are supposed to be leaders, but over a particular area in life and not necessarily over people…”

Most people don’t see themselves as leaders because they don’t fully understand the varying groups of leadership that exist. Allow me to explain…

*There are 3 major Groups of leadership:

• Leading one’s self (Group X)

•  Leading in an area of expertise (Group Y)

• Leading people who lead in an area of expertise (Group Z)

Because Group Z has received the tag of “most important”, as well as the most attention over time, a lot of people have gone on to assume that they are not leaders, because they aren’t “leaders of leaders” a.k.a leaders of people…This couldn’t be further from the truth!

The truth is, yes, not many people can be leaders of leaders. In fact, dare I say, not many people are called to be. Have you ever been in a car with more than one steering wheel been used at the same time? Neither have I to be honest. When all is said and done, only one or a few people can lead groups of people, lead teams and lead organisations. No matter how considerate the culture of an organisation is, some one, or some people need to be responsible for decision making, or else, nothing will work in the long run.

But does that mean all other forms of leadership should be neglected and cease to exist?

I think you know where I’m going with this.

The point is, the art of leadership still needs to be studied carefully and applied to ourselves as individuals and also over our area(s) of expertise.

Over Ourselves

Did you know that self leadership covers topics like:

• Communication

• Integrity

• Accountability

• Empathy

• Humility

• Resilience

• Vision

• Influence

• Positivity

• Delegation

• Confidence

Some people reading this will be surprised, because this is what most people describe as “being a good person”, or “bettering one’s self”, but all these virtues (and more), can all be applied as aspects of LEADERSHIP! A lot of people have been running form the very thing that can improve and help them deliver better!

According to history and research, the best leaders of people have always first learnt how to lead themselves.

Over our areas of expertise

Imagine we were in a car and I was the driver (leader of all the people in the car). Because I’m behind the wheel, I get to decide what direction we go in, how fast we go and which route we will take. In essence, I am what most people will describe as the “leader.”

However, let’s imagine that you are one the passengers who is a mechanic (someone who has mastered their area of expertise), when all of a sudden, the car breaks down.

No matter how much money I have, how many years of “leadership” knowledge I have, or how much charisma I have, in that moment, YOU the mechanic automatically become the leader—the go to person who will instruct us on the direction we will go in, how long it will take, and the technique we will use.

Overtime, as YOU (mechanic) fix more broken down vehicles, you become revered as a leader—over your area of expertise!

Once again, I can only imagine your facial expression as you read this!

Actual definition of leadership

Peter Drucker (The god father of the Leadership & Management Movement ) said:

• A Leader is someone who has followers

Warren Bennice (A major voice in the Leadership movement) said:

• Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality

John C. Maxwell (One of the leading Leadership Gurus presently) said:

• Leadership is influence…nothing more, nothing less…

Combining these definitions together, we get that Leadership is:

the process of influencing others (From a place of strength) to realise beneficial aspirations. 

- Dr Mensah Otabil

So you see, You are leader! You’ve just not realised it—until now!

*I used “Groups” instead of “Levels” because some people reading might automatically think one level is higher or better than the other. A notion I was trying to explain away.