What is a Leader, exactly?
We’ve all heard of Leaders, of course, but what actually is the Leader’s exact value, and why do Leaders even exist in the first place?
If you were to strip it of all its glory, its veneer, its titles, its rewards, its responsibilities, what then does a leader do?
> An individual alone isn’t considered a “leader”, of course. An individual leads themselves to wherever they want, but everybody operates that way fundamentally anyway.
> A person may also lead one other person. Perhaps they have one follower, and perhaps they are even in a relationship. In this case, they are being dominant, but this doesn’t necessarily display the leadership qualities we are speaking of.
So, when we are talking about leadership, we are really referring to people who are dealing with at least a single group of people, where they have to make decisions not necessarily through dominance but through a collaboration or understanding that will help the group survive better.
> In a larger group of more than 3 people, a Leader would be somebody who can show the way or lead the way to someplace. The leader would then simply be the best person suited to lead the future of this group, as they are in a better position to be able to provide a better future for all than what each individual can do for themselves.
After all if you can do better on your own, why would you follow this other guy? But if this person can show you a vision which perhaps is something you have never seen before, and convince you to work together to produce a better reward than each of you would have gotten on your own, there will be a reason for that person to be the Leader.
At the end of the day, being a leader is also about taking ownership in every aspect of your life, leading yourself powerfully through self-awareness and to be willing to take responsibility for the eventual success or failure of the group.
Learn more about leadership and how to develop the hallmarks of being a leader with Live Your Mark’s Leadership Program™, which combines skills training with coaching targeted at group level dynamics.
Leadership Program™ is previous version of Instructorship Program.