To Lead You Must Claim It!

Leadership and its development are still among the most significant mysteries in the corporate, non-profit and public domains. On the one hand, we have an extensive understanding of the subject. There are hundreds of assessment instruments, thousands of training programs and even more books on the subject.  On the other hand, few would deny we are still facing a crisis of leadership in all sectors.  So what can we do about it?  In short, the first step in demonstrating more leadership is getting people to claim it!  This may sound overly simplistic but in my humble view we have over complicated the leadership development process and undermined its development because we misunderstand what it takes to awaken leadership.

The Truth: How Leadership Gives Birth in the Human Being

After all, few leaders that we use as examples of leadership went through a leadership development program. Some of the most excellent examples include Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin Roosevelt. In business, we tend to point leaders like as Walt Disney, Richard Branson, Henry Ford, Herb Kelleher, and Howard Schultz. And I would attest that few if any of these leaders, ever engaged in a formal leadership development process. That said, each of these leaders:

• Were called into leadership from passion and heeded this call.
• Focused on a vision that led them moment-to-moment towards its fulfillment.
• Claimed their leadership and learned along the way
• Trusted and listened to their inner guidance

In short, leadership is not something you can learn. Leadership is about answering a call and then allowing that call to awaken a sleeping giant within you. Leaders undoubtedly engage their intellects and planning, but such skills are not what makes them leaders. What makes them leaders is that they see a more important view than others and through their passion, they enroll others to join them in the quest. It is in this pursuit that leaders hone their own unique craft of leading.

How Leadership Development Programs Can Get In the Way

One of the challenges that emerge when we attempt to develop leadership is that we cut off this process of answering the call. Instead, we instruct executives, managers and emerging leaders what their call should be and then ask them to express this through some competency model in order to fulfill the prescription. This approach attempts to awaken leadership intellectually. In turn, this path actually blocks the person from awakening into leadership.

The truth of the matter is human beings are powerful beyond all measure. Leadership can only unfold from within one by first feeling the call and then allowing our more creative, heart-centered selves to answer it. Leadership is inherent in every human being. And it does not awaken until the individual has had it with playing small or trying to figure out how to engage their work intellectually. In short, you must invite the sleeping giant to awaken and once it does the qualities of leadership begin to ‘boot up’ and then leadership begins to mature on its own.

Overcoming One’s Resistance to Lead

This awakening process can be scary for most who achieve some measure of success through their stunning intellects. This fear emerges because, at some level, the individual does not trust their greatness. Before leadership gives birth, we drive towards success through the unconscious needs of the ego that is trying to win or be right or attempting to gain acceptance from others. Authentic, courageous leaders certainly enjoy achievements, but this is not their primary focus. Achievements are undoubtedly essential steps towards the fulfillment of the vision, but the emphasis of a leader is maintaining their focus on vision, moment-to-moment.

Genuine leaders do not care if they are right or if others like them. What they genuinely care about is adding value and making the world around them a better place. Thus, They value multiple vantage points, including welcoming the views of those that appear to be against them. Finally, they turn away from problems, acting from the certainty their vision will turn into reality. After all, they arrive at leadership because they are answering a call that is bigger than them. In the end, you can’t prepare for this through classroom training. You must be it and then allow your deeper aspirations to lead you.  As you follow this more natural path leadership will emerge to meet the day.