Are You a Leader or Just a Boss?

Last month, I posted about “Why Scientists Make Great Leaders - Even If They Don't Know It” and even threw in Sun Tzu’s book on “The Art of War”, as an example of a source of great leadership advice. 

But how do you know if you are a good leader?...

There are so many books on leadership, and so many definitions that one can get a bit lost.  But here is where I love the simple definition from the book ‘‘Nine Lies About Work’ by Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall. They state that “A leader is someone who has followers, plain and simple”

So, rather than me trying to list a set of skills I think a ‘good leader’ should have, I’ll tell you 3 emotions that a leader should evoke in me, for me to follow them:

1.      Inspired - I want to feel energised and connected with a bigger mission that matters.

2.      Empowered – I want to feel capable, valued for my strengths and confident to grow.

3.      Grounded – I want to feel secure, supported and clear about what’s expected of me.

My takeaway from this is that leadership isn’t about titles, tasks, or meetings.  It’s about the feelings you leave in the people who choose to follow you.

How many bosses have you had in the past who you consider leaders, because they made you feel inspired, empowered, and grounded?  

I bet the list is not long.