In this post, the Lazy Leader challenges you to define your personal definition of leadership.
How do you define leadership? What do you think are the key traits of a leader? Is leadership about what you do or who you are?
Can you create your personal definition of leadership? How do you think this help you develop as a leader?
mnemonic |nɪˈmɒnɪk|
noun
a system such as a pattern of letters, ideas, or associations which assists in remembering something.
But first, here is the Lazy Leader's leadership mnemonic…
Leadership In a Nutshell
‘L’ is for listening. Listen to people, and listen to your employees. Hear the good and the bad. If you don’t listen, you won't know what’s going on, you’ll be left in the dark, and you won’t be making informed decisions.
‘E’ is for example. If you want to inspire others to do something, then it has to be a part of your life. You must lead by example.
‘A’ for awareness. Seeing what’s around you is important. But situational awareness — understanding the bigger picture — is even more significant, since it leads to better decision-making. And a self-awareness means we make sure there is harmony between what we say and do.
‘D’ is for development. Continually develop your leadership ability and develop your team.
‘E’ is for excellence. Strive for excellence. Encouraging effort is about aiming for excellence, and this means always doing and giving your best.
‘R’ is for resilience. Leaders must learn to take knocks and get up again and again. Resilience is not giving up.
‘S’ is for surround. Surround yourself with high-quality employees. The leader is only as good as the team, and a high-performance team is far greater than the combined individual contributions.
‘H’ is for humility. Leaders should develop the positive aspects of their personality. Humility is a strength. It is accepting the other way is better.
‘I’ is for innovation. Innovation can be as simple as showing people how to lead themselves to their solutions and stepping out of the way.
‘P’ is for purpose. Having a sense of purpose motivates people. The leader’s vision helps employees to see their purpose in the workplace.
Putting Leadership to Work
Leadership is not about titles, positions, or flow charts. It is about one life influencing another. – John C. Maxwell
This leadership mnemonic is unique to the Lazy Leader. What’s yours?
Such attributes serve an important purpose: reminding us of the habits and values we need to grow as a leader.
Putting leadership to work means giving up those things that are familiar to us, and doing something different to take things in a new direction. This is what change is about, and the reward is what we become because of our growth.
Use the Lazy Leader’s mnemonic challenge to help define your personal definition of leadership and to understand your leadership purpose. Use it to challenge your comfort zone, build upon your strengths, leverage your weaknesses, and develop a repertoire of skills.
True leadership stems from individuality that is honestly and sometimes imperfectly expressed… Leaders should strive for authenticity over perfection. – Sheryl Sandberg
What do you think are the key traits of a leader? Is leadership about what you do or who you are? What are you going to change? You are welcome to share your experience in the comments.
