Tag: leader

A sometime leader

Taylor BurianLeave a comment

Do you see yourself as a leader?

Leadership can be such a hard concept for some people to grasp. They can go to all kinds of conferences, attend seminars, read books and still not fully understand what it means to be a leader (and end up just being another “manager”.)

Early on when I first started my current job, I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a PMI Symposium (for those unfamiliar, PMI stands for Project Management Institute) and I got to meet with a wide variety of people from different industries. This experience is part of where I got a feel for different leadership styles.

From what I could tell, you could boil down what it means to be a leader into a few key elements. Do I exhibit them? Sometimes. Usually as the situation calls for it.

Some of those elements can be summed up with a simple image I snagged from the Internet.

Okay, so the image says “boss” in place of “manager” but whatever, same difference.

Anyways, the point here is that the leader is connected to and participating in the work versus the manager/boss who is disconnected and just telling people what to do. This may look different depending on circumstances of the work, but the core concept of working alongside the people they lead is what’s important.

Back to the prompt itself, do I see myself as a leader? Sometimes. It’s just a matter of circumstances. If I’m on a project and I own a piece/deliverable/objective that requires me to work with and coordinate people then I end up doing a bit of a mix. I’m not usually a Subject Matter Expert for the work that needs to be done, so it’s not like I get to participate the same way as the leader in the image above, but I’m not just going to tell people what to do and expect results without trying to understand the work they’re doing. I want to work alongside them so I can better assist in the ways I am able to, whether that be in coordination efforts or communications with other people. Whatever it is they need, I try to help.

One of the other things about the image above that I like to point out is that the leader is in front of their people. When I look at that it reminds me that leaders I’ve seen and worked with who stood out are the ones who stand in front to represent and protect the people doing the work. Mind you, one thing that can’t be conveyed in the image is credit. Leaders, in my mind, don’t simply take all the credit for the work that gets down. This is where I like to see myself as a leader (when it’s necessary for me to step into the role) because I fully recognize that if I’m not the one doing the work then I want to lift up the people who ARE.

After all that’s been said, I do want to point out that I’m not the kind of person who enjoys being the center of attention, which is often why I don’t automatically and immediately raise my hand to take on roles of leadership. I’m much more comfortable doing the work because I find it more rewarding and satisfying to learn, understand, and be capable of doing it.

Bloganuary 19th: Good Leaders

Taylor BurianLeave a comment
Bloganuary writing prompt
What makes a good leader?
View all responses

Leading isn’t for everyone. If it was, we would constantly run into the issue of “too many cooks in the kitchen”. What makes a good leader can also be a bit subjective, but I’m sure if I did some digging (beyond my fuzzy memory of professional symposiums and conventions) I would be able to point out specific traits that have been identified through extensive study.

Additionally, there is a BIG difference between being a manager and a leader.

Being a leader, in my opinion, requires empathy. Lots of it. Without it you can’t understand the needs of the people following you. Being a GOOD leader requires self-control with that empathy, because otherwise it’s possible to be swept up in the emotion and problems of everyone else. Leaders need to look out for the good of the group, and not allow themselves to be consumed by the needs of one person.

Leaders also participate in the work being done. They work alongside everyone, not lording above them, to accomplish their goals. Understanding the work and the needs of the people doing it is a necessity.

The final thing I’ll say about what I think makes a good leader is centered around accountability. Accountability for themselves AND their people. They know when to own a mistake and not just shift blame. They understand that sometimes there are consequences and they’re responsible for making sure things are taken care for the good of the group, such as if someone else were to make a mistake they would provide some measure of corrective action and guidance for improvement. It’s not all bad, though. A good leader, when thinking about accountability, also knows how to celebrate the successes of others and raise them up for due recognition because that provides a positive example to others of what it means to be accountable for the work being done.

I mentioned before about there being a difference between being a manager and a leader. Take all of the examples above and reverse them. Managers simply tell people what to do but they don’t always understand the work being done. They can lack empathy and simply see people as means to an end. They punish others by shifting blame away from themselves when they make a mistake, and they don’t often celebrate the successes of others unless it celebrates themselves.

Granted, there are exceptions to what I’ve stated above about managers, but if you find someone with the title of “Manager” and they’re doing all the right things that make a good leader then they’re not a manager. They are a leader who may be unduly recognized for their skills. If that sounds like your own “Manager” and you have a good team around you then I’d wager that not only are they a good leader, but also the reason people stick around.