Leaders can be ineffective when they don’t understand their role. When a leader doesn’t understand his role fully he can easily get caught up in what he shouldn’t be involved in. There are things that can never divorced from leading.
And, there are also things that you must steer away from if you’re going to lead well. You are not only as good as what you do but what you don’t do. Every leader needs a “not-to-dabble-in list”.
Without saying more, here are three things that aren’t a leader’s responsibility.
The Status Quo
This is a very obvious one. You’re not responsible for incubating or nurturing the status quo. Leaders stop leading when their make their responsibility managing the status quo.
Every leader must constantly keep track of what they are doing and identify status quo management. Leading is about constantly challenging the status quo for the greater. When that is not happening status quo management is what is happening.
Happiness
Leadership is not about making people happy. This is not to say it is about upsetting people. All I’m saying is that it not the primary purpose of making people happy.
Resistance is the most likely reaction to change. Shattering the status quo means sad and upset people. Leaders, those who will dare to make organisations and the world greater, will always upset more than just the status quo, but also those who love it.
Leader, your job is not to make everyone happy. That’s impossible. You are responsible for taking care of your people. But not everything you do will make them (or everyone in the world) happy. Your responsibility is to be guardian of your cause and make the world a greater place.
Everything
Everything does rise and fall on leadership; thanks John Maxwell… However, effective leaders are not responsible for everything. Leader you cannot do everything yourself.
Leader, if there’s no one who can do anything better than you, then you have some ego issues.
By trying to do everything yourself you sabotage your cause. Leadership is leadership because there are people to lead, a team.
Be very careful about what you choose to be a control freak about.
Leader, you’re responsible for everything but not doing everything. Your role is to drive vision by ensuring everyone is playing their role to make things happen.
Be bold. Be /ˈherətik/.
[image by Horia Varlan | cc]