“Unlocking the Leader Within – Five Steps to Unveiling Your True Potential”
Leadership is often seen as an enigmatic, almost mystical quality that only a select few possess. This perception, however, is far from the truth. The reality is that Leadership is not a secret formula but a set of learnable behaviours and beliefs that anyone can master.
Step One: Recognise that Leadership is a Journey of Learning
The key to unlocking your leadership potential lies in recognizing that Leadership is not a gift bestowed upon a select few but a learning journey. Take, for example, the invention of the lightbulb. It was not the result of magic or luck but Thomas Edison’s realization that electricity could be used to generate light.
Similarly, the polio vaccine was not the work of fate but the result of Jonas Salk’s realization that a deactivated virus could be used to create immunity in the human body.
In the same way, the genesis of Leadership is not the result of a mysterious gene but a realization that Leadership is a learned set of behaviours driven by optimal beliefs. This is evidenced by the fact that scientists have never been able to isolate a “leadership gene” in the human genome.
In short, to become a great leader, one must recognize that Leadership is not a birthright but a journey of learning, growth, and self-discovery.
Step Two: Recognizing and Seizing Leadership Moments
Leadership is not just about holding a title or position; it’s about taking action and making a difference. Every day, we are presented with countless opportunities to lead, whether through a simple conversation or a more formal interaction. These moments, often referred to as “leadership opportunities,” are the building blocks of outstanding Leadership.
To become a great leader, it’s essential to recognize and seize these opportunities with both hands. This means recognizing someone’s accomplishments, thanking them for a job well done, helping them see the significance and meaning in their work, and challenging limiting beliefs that may hold them back.
These opportunities present themselves in every aspect of our lives, whether at home, work, or community. However, it’s important to remember that being a leader is not just about being in a position of authority; it’s about consistently acting like a leader.
Leadership is as Leadership does. What you do, how you work, and what you say each day matters! Great leaders recognize the opportunities placed in their hands and make the most of them with care and respect for the role.
Step Three: Recognizing that Leadership is About Enabling Others to Achieve Their Goals
Leadership is not just about giving orders and expecting them to be followed; it’s about helping others to achieve what they want. A prime example of this is Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook, who has been instrumental in the company’s growth and success.
When asked about her leadership style, she said, “Leadership is about creating the conditions where others can succeed. It is not about making them do what you want, but about creating a space where they want to do their best.”
This quote highlights the difference between management and Leadership. Managers may tell people what to do, but great leaders trust, inspire and motivate them to take action. The key is to help people see how what you’re asking them to do aligns with their goals and aspirations.
So how do leaders like Sheryl Sandberg get people to do what they don’t want to do?
The answer lies in the last part of her quote: “creating a space where they want to do their best.” People will not do something just because they are told to; they will do it when they believe it is in their best interest.
As leaders, it is our job to trust, inspire, motivate, and help people to believe in themselves and their abilities.
Managers may tell people what to do, but great leaders trust, inspire and motivate them to take action. Helping people see what you’re asking them to do aligns with their goals and aspirations.
Step Four: Recognizing the Power of Communication as a Leadership Tool
Throughout history, countless leaders have left their mark on the world, from political figures like Winston Churchill and Mohandas Gandhi to business leaders like Lee Iacocca and Jack Welch. Their exceptional communication skills set these iconic leaders apart from the rest.
Great leaders understand the power of clear and effective communication. They use it to align, reinforce, inspire and liberate their teams. One of the key ways they do this is by communicating a clear and compelling vision that people can rally around. This vision establishes the destination and creates a sense of purpose and relevance for the goals. Leaders who fail to communicate on this level often find themselves with disengaged and unmotivated teams constantly questioning the goals.
Once the vision is established, great leaders use their words to reinforce the goals and strategies, consistently tying them back to the vision. This helps to keep the team focused and motivated and prevents the goals from becoming just a “flavour of the day”.
Great leaders also use their words to inspire their people.
They do this by communicating the “why” behind their actions and helping people see their work’s impact and significance. This gives people a sense of purpose and makes them feel like they are making a real difference.
Finally, great leaders use communication skills to liberate their people from self-limiting beliefs and misconceptions. They do this by constantly talking to their team members about their untapped potential and future possibilities. This helps people see past their limitations and strive for greatness.
In the British Business world, we have leaders like Richard Branson and J.K. Rowling, who are known for their exceptional communication skills. Richard Branson is well known for his ability to communicate his vision for Virgin Group with clarity and passion, which inspires and motivates his employees to strive for greatness.
J.K. Rowling is a master storyteller who uses her words to transport readers to a magical world and inspire them to believe in themselves and their abilities. Both of these leaders have proven that the power of communication is a crucial tool for unlocking true leadership potential.
Step Five: Recognizing that Leadership is a Constant Practice
As discussed earlier, Leadership is a learned set of behaviours driven by optimal beliefs. And like all learned skills, it requires practice to be honed and perfected. It’s important to remember that mistakes will be made along the way, but the key is to persist and learn from them.
Think of learning to walk as an analogy. The average child falls 240 to 280 times before they master the skill. But they don’t give up, they don’t quit trying, and they don’t think to themselves, “Maybe walking is just not for me”. Instead, they persist and willingly pay the dues necessary to master one of life’s essential skills. Learning to lead is no different.
We become great at something by applying what we have been taught early and often rather than late and not enough. It’s not enough to merely understand the five steps to unlocking the leader within; it’s essential to embrace them, practice them, and reflect on how to do them better.
Leaders like Sir Richard Branson, whom we discussed earlier, constantly practice his leadership skills and encourage his team to do the same. He has built a culture at Virgin Group where innovation and experimentation are enabled, which has helped him become a more proficient leader.
So if you want to improve as a leader, create the habit of embracing these steps, practising them, and reflecting on them daily. String enough of those days together, and you’ll find that you’ve become a great leader that people will follow with pride.
James Fleming
The Power Within Training
The Motivational Intelligence Company
www.thepowerwithintraining.com/mq