Toughest question to answer in the realm of coffee table war fighters.
It breaks down to the win/loss record, … mostly. If that leader WINs but their army can’t fight another battle, then it isn’t much of a win. If leader wins consistently, AND their army and soldiers stay alive to share in the victories, then you may be looking at a “great” military leader. On the other hand if you are Leonidas of Sparta, LOOSING but holding out with a 2400 mean or so against 2 million before you DIE an UGLY death under a cloud of arrows so thick it darkens the sun? Well greatness can come in many forms.
Then t
Toughest question to answer in the realm of coffee table war fighters.
It breaks down to the win/loss record, … mostly. If that leader WINs but their army can’t fight another battle, then it isn’t much of a win. If leader wins consistently, AND their army and soldiers stay alive to share in the victories, then you may be looking at a “great” military leader. On the other hand if you are Leonidas of Sparta, LOOSING but holding out with a 2400 mean or so against 2 million before you DIE an UGLY death under a cloud of arrows so thick it darkens the sun? Well greatness can come in many forms.
Then there is the notion of “how” that leader wins. What was that leader’s style. Was that leader dependent on building a huge advantage in numbers and supplies to win? That is kind of So So.
Could a leader pull his troops out of the middle of a Winter Offensive, march them off in an entirely different direction and go on the attack in two days against unknown odds? And win? There might some greatness there.
But this is one real tough question to answer, and to my knowledge no one ever has completely done so.
A great leader has spent time as or knows how to be a follower.
Can they follow instructions.
Do they know when to question instructions.
A great leader will be able to do both of these and will give better instructions as a result.
In addition, when questioned, a great leader will genuinely consider that they may have made a mistake or need to make an adjustment.
A good military leader , is just a good military leader, who does their job, a great military leader, knows how to leader,
And not afraid to make certain sacrafices, they make sure the soldiers they train , work hard and fight hard, that's what makes a great military leader.
A great military leader brings the maximum amount of wounds, death and destruction upon the enemy in the shortest time possible with the means at hand while incurring the least possible loss on his own side.
A great military leader brings the maximum amount of wounds, death and destruction upon the enemy in the shortest time possible with the means at hand while incurring the least possible loss on his own side.
Eyes are called “Nayan” in Sanskrit and it means, “To lead.” Every step you take forward is the job of the leader called Nayan. Leading is so important, Nature decided to give you not just one eye, but two of them!
Do you know that the expression called “Nayakan” which is translated as “Hero” in English actually means, Leader? Therefore the one with two eyes on his face is a “Nayakan” or a Leader. So, everyone who has eyes on his or her face are Leaders.
What Nayan leads you is collectively called “Drishti” in Sanskrit and and the space to where you are led by the vision is called “Dik” meaning
Eyes are called “Nayan” in Sanskrit and it means, “To lead.” Every step you take forward is the job of the leader called Nayan. Leading is so important, Nature decided to give you not just one eye, but two of them!
Do you know that the expression called “Nayakan” which is translated as “Hero” in English actually means, Leader? Therefore the one with two eyes on his face is a “Nayakan” or a Leader. So, everyone who has eyes on his or her face are Leaders.
What Nayan leads you is collectively called “Drishti” in Sanskrit and and the space to where you are led by the vision is called “Dik” meaning ‘place’. It is out of Dik came “Desh” which is country side, state or a nation and what we cannot see beyond where our eyes can lead physically is called, “Paradesh” meaning a far away place of a foreign country!
There is a common misunderstanding that Leadership means one has to lead a team of people. This is only one aspect of leadership. This aspect is important because life’s actual success lies not in just individual success, but collective success……. of a family, society, company, state or that of a nation and without leading people, one cannot achieve collective success!
Leadership happens in every moment of our life, every walks of our life and it lives in every thought that pervades in our mind. This is the reason the wise say, “You must lead a good life to be respected, accepted, admired, inspired and followed by people!”
While studying, ‘you are leading a student’s life,” when married, “you lead a married life,” when retired,“ you lead a retired life!” Life evolves every passing moment, but leading remains…it remains in one form or the other.
When your thoughts are structured, focused, analytical, perceptive, innovative and creative, they “lead” you to better productivity and therefore to richness of not just that of wealth, but name, fame, status, happiness and most importantly contentment.
What we call “IPE-Inter-personal efficiency” which is required in every inter personal interactions of ours in day to day life is nothing but influencing the others for making them see, agree or do something you wanted them to see, agree or do. If you are good at IPE, it means you have been able to lead their thoughts to align your perspective!
There are four important responsibilities of any type of a boss (leader) and they are: “Guide people,” “Judge people,” “Coach people” and “Speak about people.” If you are true leader, you should be doing this, either knowingly or unknowingly!
Guide: If you have to guide people, you should have full ‘clarity’ of “Why, “What” and “How”. If your thoughts can’t lead you to clarity, you can’t guide people.
Judge: Judgement is not possible if you are unable to use different yardsticks to evaluate performance of your people. Without leading your thoughts in the right direction, you can’t simply, judge.
Coach: Without counselling, you can’t coach. Without being a mentor, you can’t coach, without being a ‘tutor’ you can’t coach. If you can’t channelize your thoughts into all these aspects, you can’t simply coach.
Speak about people: Every good Boss normally speaks either with his boss or in meetings about his good subordinates. If your thoughts are not organised, how can you do this.
Affectionately
“Leadership is not about being in charge. Leadership is taking care of those in your charge”
Leadership is all about inspiring your teammates. You don’t inspire them by showing how amazing you are, instead you inspire them by showing them how amazing they are. If you want to lead people, you have to walk behind them. If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more,
“Leadership is not about being in charge. Leadership is taking care of those in your charge”
Leadership is all about inspiring your teammates. You don’t inspire them by showing how amazing you are, instead you inspire them by showing them how amazing they are. If you want to lead people, you have to walk behind them. If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, YOU ARE A LEADER.
I have tried to jot down , the most ideal traits of a true leader below:
1.Vision
Great leaders have a clear, exciting idea of where they are going and what they are trying to accomplish. This quality separates leaders from managers. Vision allows leaders to tap into the emotion of their employees.
2. Courage
Courage means that you are willing to take risks in the achievement of your goals with no assurance of success. As there is no certainty in life or business, every commitment you make and every action you take entails a risk of some kind.
3. Integrity
The main value that almost all executives agree upon for their company is integrity. The core of integrity is truthfulness. Integrity requires that you always tell the truth, to all people in every situation.
4. Strategic Planning
Great leaders are outstanding at strategic planning. They have the ability to look ahead, to anticipate with some accuracy where the in...
I agree with James R. Bailey, author of the HBR article “The Difference Between Good Leaders and Great Ones”. James explains that great leadership and good leadership have different characteristics. Leaders can be great and good, or one but not the other, or neither. It is about force and direction and that the force takes the right direction.
Great is a force whereas good stands for morality, virtue, and ethics. Good leaders aim at the best interests and welfare of the collective. Great leaders excite, energize and stimulate; ignite collective action and stir passion. They can sweep people alo
I agree with James R. Bailey, author of the HBR article “The Difference Between Good Leaders and Great Ones”. James explains that great leadership and good leadership have different characteristics. Leaders can be great and good, or one but not the other, or neither. It is about force and direction and that the force takes the right direction.
Great is a force whereas good stands for morality, virtue, and ethics. Good leaders aim at the best interests and welfare of the collective. Great leaders excite, energize and stimulate; ignite collective action and stir passion. They can sweep people along through sheer animation. Great leadership accounts as much for humanity’s progress, as well as its suffering. Its direction depends largely on those that wield its power. Great leadership has no inherent moral compass, and thus its potency can just as easily be put toward devastating and peaceful purposes.
“Great can be vital but destructive; good can be compassionate but impotent”, writes James. Good can be a values-based screen upon which great deeds unfold, whereas great can be dramatic. This is why the force of great often overshadows the direction of good.
Hence, it is not about great or good. It is about avoiding leaders that are great but not good. And appointing those leaders who are great and good. Great and good leaders have the moral compass to protect the collective as a whole - fighting the “bad” and supporting the “good” - and also the force to achieve the common vision and goals.
That will depend on the situation. If you’re in a burning building and you need to lead people out, the best way is to yell at them what you want them to do and make it sound as if you know what will work. That’s fast, to the point and effective.
If you’re leading a large business project to create, design, build, put into practice a complicated process, you probably can’t know everything that needs to be done yourself, so you need to get cooperation and input from all the others, so a coaching, ‘servant leadership’ style (lots about this on the Internet) will likely work best.
And every variati
That will depend on the situation. If you’re in a burning building and you need to lead people out, the best way is to yell at them what you want them to do and make it sound as if you know what will work. That’s fast, to the point and effective.
If you’re leading a large business project to create, design, build, put into practice a complicated process, you probably can’t know everything that needs to be done yourself, so you need to get cooperation and input from all the others, so a coaching, ‘servant leadership’ style (lots about this on the Internet) will likely work best.
And every variation in between. Overall I favor the second approach because I worked in those environments and found just giving orders didn’t work well at all to get a good result. However, giving orders is faster, so if all that’s required is the large group runs to the top of a hill as quickly as they can then a whip or the ability (and threat) to fire people on the spot and clear marching orders tend to work quicker than anything.
I'll share three things that I believe separate great leaders from good leaders. This is by no means an all-inclusive list, but three things that are definitely worth pondering.
1. Great leaders have more experience under their belt.
“That which we persist in doing becomes easier, not that the nature of the task has changed, but our ability to do has increased.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson.
It's a simple concept: the more at-bats we have, the more shots, the more games we have played, the better we get at what we're doing. The same goes for leadership. Great leaders have more experience because, histor
I'll share three things that I believe separate great leaders from good leaders. This is by no means an all-inclusive list, but three things that are definitely worth pondering.
1. Great leaders have more experience under their belt.
“That which we persist in doing becomes easier, not that the nature of the task has changed, but our ability to do has increased.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson.
It's a simple concept: the more at-bats we have, the more shots, the more games we have played, the better we get at what we're doing. The same goes for leadership. Great leaders have more experience because, historically, they have persisted in the act of leading. As Emerson alluded to in the quote above, you can't help but get better as you persist at something. To be the best you can be at anything, you have to put in the time, you have to "pay the tuition" so to speak.
2. Great leaders are natural.
I don't mean in terms of natural born leaders or any other silly cliche, what I mean is (and I can say this because I am one) they are not like “white guys dancing”. They're not applying this technique and that technique, going through each one in a pre-meditated or calculated manner, where you can almost hear them saying "which leadership principle should I apply here." They are artful in their application of leadership, as a result of intensely practicing the skill. The swing, the art, the shot, comes naturally here because they've done it before hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of times before.
3. Great leaders get stuff done.
It sounds like a glaringly obvious point, but it's one I think is sometimes overlooked. Leadership is a function of achieving things or getting things done. Good leaders, while still valuable, tend to have results that are mediocre, or just good. Great leaders, then, are the ones whose results are superior. And thus, their ability to produce great results compounds and increases overtime because it creates an attraction of people that want to follow them. I would sooner follow a great leader than a good one, wouldn't you?
These three things can be applied to almost anything, not just leadership, but it certainly highlights what separates a great leader from a good one.
As usual ‘it depends.’ Corporations come in all sizes and styles and many do not see much need for training. They try to hire people already competent to do whatever job it is, sometimes stealing good people from bigger corporations that did train them. And a huge number promote people into higher manager roles and offer them no training for the new leadership challenges whatsoever. Many of today’s corporate leaders learned ‘on the job’ about managing and feel anyone can.
Military on the other hand mostly understands that people join up without training and have to be trained for specific roles
As usual ‘it depends.’ Corporations come in all sizes and styles and many do not see much need for training. They try to hire people already competent to do whatever job it is, sometimes stealing good people from bigger corporations that did train them. And a huge number promote people into higher manager roles and offer them no training for the new leadership challenges whatsoever. Many of today’s corporate leaders learned ‘on the job’ about managing and feel anyone can.
Military on the other hand mostly understands that people join up without training and have to be trained for specific roles and then for command/leadership. Pretty much everyone is going to get training (and one hopes they’ve been placed in spots that fit them reasonably well, but regardless, they will be trained). However, their training tends to be mass, rigid, lockstep, not tailored to individual needs as much as is possible and common in those corporations that see the need for training and may have even bigger resources to lavish on those they select (though they may still not train everyone very much).
So - it depends. I’m sure you can find good and bad examples in both setting, so if you’re asking where you should go to get trained, then review what’s in place in the specific organization you’re looking to join.
I was in first year of college when I saw Steve Jobs’ Stanford Commencement Speech. I cried. It was so good. It was inspirational.
All great leaders articulate very well. I thought. That must be one of the most important leadership qualities. I thought.
Harry Potter lead Dumbledore’s Army in the fifth year while he attended Hogwarts. Why? He was the best at most of the defence against dark arts spells. Skill. Skill must be one of the most important leadership qualities. I thought. Because it’s only when you’re the master at something, then you can lead.
Ability to inspire others?
Speed of executio
I was in first year of college when I saw Steve Jobs’ Stanford Commencement Speech. I cried. It was so good. It was inspirational.
All great leaders articulate very well. I thought. That must be one of the most important leadership qualities. I thought.
Harry Potter lead Dumbledore’s Army in the fifth year while he attended Hogwarts. Why? He was the best at most of the defence against dark arts spells. Skill. Skill must be one of the most important leadership qualities. I thought. Because it’s only when you’re the master at something, then you can lead.
Ability to inspire others?
Speed of execution?
Perfectionism?
Dedication and passion towards a mission?
All this and more. And very very very important leadership qualities. But I think the two most important leadership qualities are desire to learn and ability to adapt and change.
Of all the great leaders I have had the chance to meet, or of all the great leaders I have had the chance to read about spend good amount of time reading and learning and are super adaptable.
As I end the answer it reminds me again of my first year of college and how the commencement note ended now makes more sense.
Stay hungry (continue to learn), stay foolish (continue to adapt and change).
Well, there are a lot of assets that would help a leader to become more effective. Common sense is one. Charisma is another. Confidence is another. Courage is another. Willingness to suffer the same hardships and dangers along with your troops is another. Being humble is another. Being likable, being able to get along with others helps. Remaining calm under pressure helps. Belief in what you’re doing would help. US General U. S. Grant wrote words to the effect that to follow what is written in military manuals is a help, but if someone blindly follows the military manuals, he will fail.
Another
Well, there are a lot of assets that would help a leader to become more effective. Common sense is one. Charisma is another. Confidence is another. Courage is another. Willingness to suffer the same hardships and dangers along with your troops is another. Being humble is another. Being likable, being able to get along with others helps. Remaining calm under pressure helps. Belief in what you’re doing would help. US General U. S. Grant wrote words to the effect that to follow what is written in military manuals is a help, but if someone blindly follows the military manuals, he will fail.
Another thing I forgot to mention, US Admiral William “Bull” Halsey once said “There are no great men, there are only great challenges, which ordinary men like you and me are forced by circumstances to meet.” Perhaps part of being considered a great military leader could be due to being in the right place at the right time and having a little bit of luck.
In the end, what much of war comes down to is a contest of wills.
Acting in anticipation a year or more before the trouble shows. Place a solution inside the work culture, and let them drill it into the fabric of every workday, so that day will come and response will be confident and effective.
Then heap 100% of the praise on those that drilled when they suspected the trouble would never come. Do that type of thing once a month, and your company will be agile and bulletproof.
This requires senior leadership to exercise organizational intuition within the flow of early days to insist upon the collective skills of many employees living out their intuitions too.
Acting in anticipation a year or more before the trouble shows. Place a solution inside the work culture, and let them drill it into the fabric of every workday, so that day will come and response will be confident and effective.
Then heap 100% of the praise on those that drilled when they suspected the trouble would never come. Do that type of thing once a month, and your company will be agile and bulletproof.
This requires senior leadership to exercise organizational intuition within the flow of early days to insist upon the collective skills of many employees living out their intuitions too. That’s how a great plan is built.
Good luck, Mac
1. Direct communicator. This is extremely important. If I am working at a company and the boss is not clear in what he/she wants it can be frustrating for both parties. This can also cause major mistakes.
2. Flexible. As a leader you need to adjust based on what is going on in the present moment. You cannot always stick to the same practices if what is happening at that second requires change.
3.
1. Direct communicator. This is extremely important. If I am working at a company and the boss is not clear in what he/she wants it can be frustrating for both parties. This can also cause major mistakes.
2. Flexible. As a leader you need to adjust based on what is going on in the present moment. You cannot always stick to the same practices if what is happening at that second requires change.
3. Being the ultimate example for your employees or those you are leading. You want your people to be dependable and on time? Practice those same habits yourself. People tend to follow actions more than words.
4. Be enthusiastic. The vibe of a leader is very important. Always try to bring the excitement factor into play.
5. Be positive. Great leaders not only point out what is wrong but also what is right. This makes people want to be around you.
6. Be decisive . It is very hard to follow someone that doesn’t seem to have a clear direction or focus. Believe in your decisions.
7. Emphasis teamwork. We work so much more efficiently working as a cohesive team. Don’t downplay any person or what they bring to the table. Everyone is necessary mentality works best...
This is an extremely broad question. It gives people a chance to offer some general ideas.
I will focus on leadership as opposed to management. This was an idea in vogue in the 1990’s. While I feel successful leaders are at least competent managers, there are some differences. I will try to offer a few thoughts that can give many people a starting point for better answers of their own.
- Vision. Leaders can form an idea where they want to go or where they want to lead their charge. Good managers help keep things running smoothly but often resist disruptive change.
- Analysis. Leaders can dissect thei
This is an extremely broad question. It gives people a chance to offer some general ideas.
I will focus on leadership as opposed to management. This was an idea in vogue in the 1990’s. While I feel successful leaders are at least competent managers, there are some differences. I will try to offer a few thoughts that can give many people a starting point for better answers of their own.
- Vision. Leaders can form an idea where they want to go or where they want to lead their charge. Good managers help keep things running smoothly but often resist disruptive change.
- Analysis. Leaders can dissect their current organization. They can compare the current organization to what they want. They can then develop specific changes they want to make. Managers also understand their current organization but typically focus on small changes to make it operate marginally more erfficiently.
- People leadership. Leaders either recruit the troops they want or successfully get the most out of their existing teams. They understand how they want their team to look and operate and shift their teams closer to their vision. Good managers take existing staff and make small changes (lateral movbes, re-writing job descriptions, incremental training) to help make the most out of what they have.
- Technology. Visionary leaders are looking for game-changing tools that help enact their vision. They take big gambles (with company funds) for big rewards. Successful managers identify the most annoying bottlenecks in their key processes and look for proven technologies to make their5 teams’ lives a little easier.
- Finance. Leaders are swinging for the fences. they are seeking purple unicorns. They are willing to make big bets for big gains. They seek the funds needed to enact their grand vision. Often they are borrowing at high interest and lose big when they fail. Successful managers seek to squeeze small savings either to solve key problems or to give deserving employees overdue rewards.
Thanks for the A2A Hersh Bortman
Subjectivity and differing views play a significant role when it comes to determining what separates a good business leader from a great one. The criteria for evaluating leadership effectiveness can vary depending on individual perspectives, organizational context, and cultural nuances. Consequently, it becomes challenging for someone to be certain about this separation.
One way people can gain clarity in distinguishing between a good and a great business leader is through a comprehensive understanding of leadership theories and practices. By studying various leadership models, such as transfor
Subjectivity and differing views play a significant role when it comes to determining what separates a good business leader from a great one. The criteria for evaluating leadership effectiveness can vary depending on individual perspectives, organizational context, and cultural nuances. Consequently, it becomes challenging for someone to be certain about this separation.
One way people can gain clarity in distinguishing between a good and a great business leader is through a comprehensive understanding of leadership theories and practices. By studying various leadership models, such as transformational, servant, or situational leadership, individuals can develop a broader perspective on what it takes to excel as a leader. This knowledge enables them to identify the characteristics, skills, and behaviors that differentiate good leaders from great ones.
Additionally, seeking diverse opinions from different stakeholders can enhance clarity in recognizing leadership greatness. Engaging in conversations with employees, colleagues, and industry experts can provide valuable insights and multiple perspectives on what makes a leader exceptional. These insights can help clarify the qualities, such as vision, adaptability, resilience, empathy, and ethical decision-making, that distinguish great leaders.
It is important to acknowledge that the separation between good and great leaders is not absolute but rather subjective. Individual preferences, organizational goals, and contextual factors influence perceptions of leadership effectiveness. Therefore, it is crucial for individuals to continuously reflect on their own values, goals, and aspirations to determine what qualities they personally value in a leader.
In conclusion, the subjectivity and differing views surrounding the qualities of a good versus a great business leader make it challenging to establish a definitive separation. However, by studying leadership theories, seeking diverse opinions, and reflecting on personal values, individuals can gain clarity and understanding in distinguishing between the two. Ultimately, it is up to each person to define their own criteria for leadership greatness based on their unique perspectives and contexts.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
There are a wide variety of views about what makes a good, great or extraordinary leader and also what a good leader is as shown in answers to the following questions:
What makes a good leader? 1057+ answers
What traits should leaders have? What makes a good leader? 567+
How to quickly determine if someone is truly a good leader 106+
What is the ability of being a great leader? 78+
What makes a good leader? What are some signs a person will make a good leader vs a bad leader? 26+
Searching online will give you more and a wide variety of views.
There is no universally agreed basis to determine if a leader is good/bad, effective/ineffective and so on. Someone seen as a good leader by one person will be seen as a bad leader by another.
The various views makes determination of a good or bad leader difficult as shown in the variety of views represented in 105+ answers to the question "How to quickly determine if someone is truly a good leader?" In addition, An online search and the 30+ responses to the question "What is the difference between a good leader and a great leader?" show the various views associated with identifying good and great leadership.
Each individual leader has to decide or come to a view about their being a good/bad or effective/infective leader; the same can be said for their view of other leaders. If they consult with or gain feedback from people (other than their known followers) there is one certainty. It is certain some people view them as good leader and others will view them as bad leaders, but there will be no universal agreement either way; everyone else in the world not agree they are good or bad, but it is certain some people will see a good leader and others a bad one.
For me it boils down to pairing toughness with genuine concern for the employees, and honesty with imagination.
Bosses need to be able to put the company’s well being above what the employees want (that is their job after all) yet they need to make sure that they treat people with respect at all times (honesty is part of this) so that even if they are not liked, employees will say that they understand what the manager did and why although they might disagree.
Good leaders have the business skills and care about the staff personally, but usually drop the ball on at least one of the other issues -
For me it boils down to pairing toughness with genuine concern for the employees, and honesty with imagination.
Bosses need to be able to put the company’s well being above what the employees want (that is their job after all) yet they need to make sure that they treat people with respect at all times (honesty is part of this) so that even if they are not liked, employees will say that they understand what the manager did and why although they might disagree.
Good leaders have the business skills and care about the staff personally, but usually drop the ball on at least one of the other issues - usually the toughness (I say this from personal experience as it was always my weakness). They do not lay off or fire people quickly enough when the company is starting to have problems, which tends to cost more people their jobs. Or the drag their feet getting rid of a person who is damaging the team’s morale by underperforming or being a bad co-worker. When they do make the move, they are often so uncomfortable with hurting the people they are letting go that they make it seem like it is something the employee did wrong rather than explaining honestly what let to the firing or lay off.
I eventually learned how to handle the interactions when letting someone go - but never was great at taking the painful steps as early as I should have done.
A lot of leaders out there in the public sector will never show an ounce of true leadership. I’ve met too many people that don’t understand leaders need to actually LEAD. Lead by example, be the worker you want your employees to be and never ask someone to do something you would not do yourself.
I realize some high level management at a company isn’t always going to be walking the floors showing their employees that they too can successfully enter mounds of data or etc.. but I think the most successful companies have high level bosses that view themselves as servents to the company and employee
A lot of leaders out there in the public sector will never show an ounce of true leadership. I’ve met too many people that don’t understand leaders need to actually LEAD. Lead by example, be the worker you want your employees to be and never ask someone to do something you would not do yourself.
I realize some high level management at a company isn’t always going to be walking the floors showing their employees that they too can successfully enter mounds of data or etc.. but I think the most successful companies have high level bosses that view themselves as servents to the company and employees, not vice versa.
Leadership making the right decisions and making sure people follow you on these decisions.
At first glance leadership seems like magic. There seem to be so many unknowns. Some say it's more like art than science. That's not true.
What many people don't know is that a lot of magic is based on rules. There are best practices, common procedures to follow, acts that everyone replicates and processes every magician knows.
I recently finished an eBook “Leader’s Guide: Building High-Performing Teams” where I try to explain how you can best build a team and lead it. You can check it out here
A willingness to go above and beyond. Acceptance of failures and determination to move forward fixing mistakes made. Intelligence and also allowing others to run the show when it's in the best interest for the group they are leading. Making strong decisions with fairness and honesty.
The military is more conscious of rank and is hierarchal in that respect. There is an established path to attain rank and certain positions or commands. It is time related and ability related, with the latter being a reflection of your fitness reports. In the military you learn to follow before you lead, and over time with experience, training, and performance you can attain higher leadership positions. The military, in my opinion and experience, represents the best balance between positional authority and personal authority. In other words, it is difficult for someone to achieve a senior rank
The military is more conscious of rank and is hierarchal in that respect. There is an established path to attain rank and certain positions or commands. It is time related and ability related, with the latter being a reflection of your fitness reports. In the military you learn to follow before you lead, and over time with experience, training, and performance you can attain higher leadership positions. The military, in my opinion and experience, represents the best balance between positional authority and personal authority. In other words, it is difficult for someone to achieve a senior rank or command if they are not qualified. The military is excellent training to hone your leadership skills.
The corporate world, by and large, is the quiet opposite. Over 75% of those in the corporate world who are in leadership positions fail abysmally and have little to no leadership ability, which was highlighted in a recent study. They rely more on positional authority than personal authority, don’t understand the difference between managing and leading, and set a poor example - often preaching one set of rules and living by another.
I’ve been on both ends of the spectrum. It is rare indeed to see someone in the corporate world with leadership skills and who one can respect. If you do, chances are he or she is ex-military.
Cheers,
Fred
There are no distinctions in leadership skills between good, great or exceptional. The major differences are not in the skills that can be learned, the major difference is knowing when to use any particular skill which cannot really be taught. Managers and leaders are not the same. Management is for things, leadership is for people.
I believe a great leader is the one who creates more leaders. I always try to empower people I lead, give them responsibilities and authority. It is a great learning tool for them. Be there to support them but let them fly on their own. They will respect you for revealing the leader in them. The more leaders you create the better culture you create.
Personal leadership vs positional leader
There are almost as many different leadership styles as there are genres of music. In general all these different leadership styles can be divided into two categories- positional and personal leadership. Although the difference between the two is subtle, which leadership style you choose is consequential to how your team will function.
Taking a leadership course can teach you how to be the best leader you can be. For many, that will involve becoming a personal leader rather than a positional one.
What’s the difference between positional and personal leader
Personal leadership vs positional leader
There are almost as many different leadership styles as there are genres of music. In general all these different leadership styles can be divided into two categories- positional and personal leadership. Although the difference between the two is subtle, which leadership style you choose is consequential to how your team will function.
Taking a leadership course can teach you how to be the best leader you can be. For many, that will involve becoming a personal leader rather than a positional one.
What’s the difference between positional and personal leadership?
Leaders in all organisations get things done by exercising their power. The difference between positional and personal leadership becomes clear when you ask “what is the source of their power?’
Personal leadership relies on the relationships that exist organically between people. It’s leading by inspiring and having people listen to you, rather than them working on tasks just because you’re the boss. In this respect, personal leaders sometimes aren’t even the ones that have the official power. Although they might not be the manager, personal leaders still have a lot of clout because of the way their colleagues see them.
Positional leadership, by contrast, is leadership that works on the basis of authority from the person’s position rather than the respect or trust their peers have in them. The worst positional leaders act as tyrants and use threats of job loss and non-promotion to control the people under them.
What makes an effective business leader? Personal or positional power?
What makes personal leadership so much more effective?
The truth is that while a positional leader can get things done in an organisation because of their job title, a personal leader can things done without it – Personal leaders command the respect and trust of those around them. Loyalty and influence doesn’t come with a job title. Sure, people will often do what you say if you’re the boss. However, for a personal leader the staff may take an extra step for you, even of their own volition.
With personal leadership, the reason why you have influence over people is because they respect you and trust your judgement. When a personal leader asks for something to be done, that task may be completed beyond what was initially requested because the person doing is motivated for the right reasons. When someone’s motivated beyond the threat of job loss and works on something because he or she believes in it, they’re always going to perform better
This is a simplistic question, as the 1st thing a good leader undersands is that different circumstances can call for different implementation of leadership. However there are some core tenents.
The 1st queston about leadership is "why would anyone want to follow them" This is not as simple as it appears , since curcumstances tend to be variable. As Jayshree Ulall used to always remind me... "In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king"
Back to getting folks to want to follow you (a 1st tenant of leadership)
1. You need to add value ... Maybe you are the one eyed man
2. You ne
This is a simplistic question, as the 1st thing a good leader undersands is that different circumstances can call for different implementation of leadership. However there are some core tenents.
The 1st queston about leadership is "why would anyone want to follow them" This is not as simple as it appears , since curcumstances tend to be variable. As Jayshree Ulall used to always remind me... "In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king"
Back to getting folks to want to follow you (a 1st tenant of leadership)
1. You need to add value ... Maybe you are the one eyed man
2. You need to know how to make 1 + 1 > 2. By leveraging your teams complimentary skills and weaknesses to build a team that is stronger than them all working separately. As a side note, knowing how to really listen to your team (vs only direct) is a key element here
3. You need to be demanding but fair. Some so called leaders confuse respect with being liked. Nothing wrong with being liked, but that should not guide your actions. As long as you add value , are fair and direct, most good people will follow you to the end of earth
4. Give your people enough autonomy to grow, but not enough so they get lost , and really invest in giving them transparent feedback on their performance (good AND bad ). Most people just want enough autonomy to feel they are putting their mark in and have room to grow their skills
5. Inspire overachievent - the world "inspire" is key here... Many people grossly under estimate what they can do when inspired. bring the team in on the crux of the challenges faced and challenge them not to accept the status quo. Amazing what kind of results one can get when you ask for a 10x improvement vs. a 2x improvement... and coach that non linear thinking will be required
6. Deliver results. If you do everything above , but fail to deliver results, you may be a good evangelist... But not a leader. A leader, ultimatly never losses track of the delivery goals and the need to execute to them. A true leader does not have excuses, only results and learnings
Judy
Great question. There are several lessons I’ve learned as a military leader. Many transfer to business since there’re commonalities when running an organization. The difference is military situations have some different stakes at risk as lives depend on the decisions.
If I had to pick one military practice that I haven’t seen in many businesses it would be when making a plan several scenarios are taken into account. They look at possible failure scenarios and how to adjust while engaged. I learned never go into a situation with all eggs in one basket, there’s a plan A, plan B and plan C.
In
Judy
Great question. There are several lessons I’ve learned as a military leader. Many transfer to business since there’re commonalities when running an organization. The difference is military situations have some different stakes at risk as lives depend on the decisions.
If I had to pick one military practice that I haven’t seen in many businesses it would be when making a plan several scenarios are taken into account. They look at possible failure scenarios and how to adjust while engaged. I learned never go into a situation with all eggs in one basket, there’s a plan A, plan B and plan C.
In many situations second place wasn’t an option so we continually thought outside the box.
Thanks for the question.
I would say no if you asked me 5 years ago. At least, I did not think I can be a leader.
5 years ago, I was put into leadership position. But I did not know how to be a leader. I did not know that leadership is a set of skills that you must learn or you have to learn in order to get better. The greatest myth of all time is that all great leaders are born. That is just pure nonsense that caused many of us with great leadership potential never bother with improving our leadership skills.
I must say once and for all that leadership MUST be learnt.
Like everything in life, you can get better at it if
I would say no if you asked me 5 years ago. At least, I did not think I can be a leader.
5 years ago, I was put into leadership position. But I did not know how to be a leader. I did not know that leadership is a set of skills that you must learn or you have to learn in order to get better. The greatest myth of all time is that all great leaders are born. That is just pure nonsense that caused many of us with great leadership potential never bother with improving our leadership skills.
I must say once and for all that leadership MUST be learnt.
Like everything in life, you can get better at it if you practice the principles.
It is one of the best skills that I have learnt in life. Because I make a difference in other people’s lives. It is meaningful. It is fulfilling.
Some people may not think it is worth it. The responsibilities and the hard-work. It is up to you. But I say nothing is more fundamentally meaningful than to lead others. To lead them to a better place. To show that there is a better place to go to. To have a compelling vision of the future. To care for other. To help others. Your sense of responsibility gives you meaning in life.
Yes, I would not think this way if I made no attempts to learn about leadership, and I am still learning as a leader.
And yes, to your question, everyone can be a better leader.
Opinions.
People have different opinions on how the school should be run and it’s a leader’s job to decide which of these opinions make more sense. Leaders give the school a sense of direction. They have a duty to push the school forward, to sort things out and be the one to go to when there’s an issue.
They have a job that is to plan events for the school, to decide what’s next for the school. To make sure that people are following the rules that a school enforces and that the school is open to fairness all the time.
Without a leader, a school cannot improve.
Thats all.
bai :P
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Effective leaders must think beyond immediate challenges and focus on long-term objectives. Vanguard Leadership teaches the importance of setting a clear and compelling vision that inspires tea
Leadership is a multifaceted concept that extends far beyond simply managing teams or delegating tasks. Through my experience and research, I have learned several valuable lessons, particularly by exploring principles aligned with Vanguard Leadership. This contemporary leadership philosophy emphasizes innovation, foresight, and a commitment to driving transformative change.
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