Adam McLane

5 Things Leaders Do

Image by Jean-François Chénier via Flickr (Creative Commons)
  1. Drive people around them nuts
  2. Piss off critics
  3. Take you places you would/could never go on your own
  4. Care deeply about the goal, but even more about the people under care
  5. Celebrate victories

I think the opposite it true, as well. I know someone isn’t really a leader if they…

  1. Are laid back about their work
  2. Worry about what critics say
  3. Talk a lot of crap, but don’t ultimately take you anywhere you couldn’t go on your own
  4. Care more about the goal than the people under care
  5. Worry more about the next goal than celebrating a victory

I don’t know about your world. But in my world everyone calls themselves a leader. These are some criteria I use to tell the fakes from the for-reals. What are your criteria?

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5 responses to “5 Things Leaders Do”

  1. chad swanzy Avatar
    chad swanzy

    I’m gonna post this to my blog and site it. Nice.

    My criteria….
    Takes initiative or self starter.
    Hardest on him/herself than on others.
    Willing to make the hard choice and confront mediocrity.
    I guess there are others but I haven’t had enough coffee yet.

    Reply
  2. David Grant Avatar
    David Grant

    3 more…

    Think longer thoughts than people around them (like further into the future)

    Set standard of transparency / vulnerability (creates safety)

    Outserve their team

    Reply
  3. tash Avatar
    tash

    Heya David – you stole one of mine! The longer thinking – future directed thinking.
    But I agree with all three of yours.
    I think psuedo-leaders demand/expect team but real leaders create it – intuitively and almost imperceptibly.

    One of the biggest ones for me is the priority on Truth. And not just biblical truth (whatever that is) but general truth and wisdom. Real leaders put a priority on truth that means people are put into growth mode – because dealing with truth and embracing truth becomes a positive experience, not a threat as is often used with psuedo-leaders.

    Reply
  4. tash Avatar
    tash

    Also – in that I should say – they are more loyal to the importance of Truth than the importance of power. Understanding that power can’t be held onto or taken, but influence is given/earned.

    Reply
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