Leadership is a form of art, and it’s an art form that almost anyone can learn to some degree. Just because someone learns an art doesn’t mean they will necessarily be good or effective. Think about all of the painters, musicians, communicators, or artists of any sort; although they have learned an art, very few get through the threshold of simply being an artist to being an effective, sought after or compelling artist.
Effective artists of any genre are able do something a little different with their artistry. That same statement is true for The Art of Leadership...there are many leaders who never realize The Art of Leadership.
I’m not trying to be the alliteration guy; however, I’ve identified 7 thoughts that can help develop The Art of Leadership. Each of these concepts just happens to begin with the letter “R.”
7 Ways To Develop the Art of Leadership:
1. Recognize
Recognize that leadership is a gift, an art, a craft…that has to be continually developed. Seek out and be willing to learn from effective leaders who have developed this craft we call leadership.
2. Realize
Realize the fact that although leadership is a craft, it is not rocket science. STOP MAKING IT SO DIFFICULT. I repeat, unless you are a leader at NASA, your leadership role is not rocket science; chill out and quit making things so hard on yourself and others. BTW- If you are a leader at NASA or a rocket scientist, you should probably be asking the tough question: “Is what we do still necessary or relevant?”
3. Remember
Remember the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you!” Most leaders barely remember the bronze rule, let alone the Golden Rule. As a leader, it’s important to care about your people, to love your people, to care about their interests and care about their success. It’s simple; treat those that you lead how you would want and expect someone to treat you. Remember in order to become an effective leader you have to understand that “Relationships Matter!”
4. Replicate
Replicate what works and don’t force things that don’t work. Don’t try to be a replicate of another leader or simply replicate what you have read in a book but rather replicate the effective “What Works” concept into who you are and what you do!
5. Resurrect
Resurrect a dying team member; an effective leader has the ability to take a dying team member on the verge of being fired and help resurrect them into a story that begins with this sentence…“There was a time when so and so team member was on the verge of being fired and so and so leader believed in them…Wow, Look at how successful they are now!”
6. Reproduce
The Art of Leadership is about contributing to the world of leadership by truly caring about those that they lead and always reproducing leaders. They never confuse Management with Leadership. Managers manage people and things — Leaders reproduce more leaders. Simply put: “If You Are Not Reproducing Leaders,” your leadership artistry has not evolved to the threshold of effectiveness.
7. Reinvent
Reinvent the way leadership is carried out! Break the box, find a new way, figure out what works for you, don’t be scared to be different, reinvent what might have been seen as irrefutable. Reinvent out of hunger, creativity, thinking, believing, seeking etc.; don’t reinvent for the sake of reinventing! “Don’t reinvent the wheel” applies to those who reinvent for the sake of reinventing!
What do you think? Share your thoughts on any of these thoughts or how you have seen them carried out.
