What makes an effective leader? There is a saying, that to be a leader means that while you are walking and look behind you, others are following you as opposed to having no one there which means you are just walking on your own.”
What makes a great leader is a question that all CEO’s must ask themselves when gaining trust, cooperation and the buy in of their employees. There are times when being a good leader means that you must make unpopular decisions, take deliberate action and lose possible deals or business to do what is right and lends to good conscience. Jim Collins once said, “Leadership only exists when people have the freedom not to follow.”
To be able to lead in a way that others want to follow can be taken in the lessons of running a non profit organization. I think that is because non profits are about the feminine and masculine balance, in that the social (feminine) aspects are looked at as well as the order (masculine) in running it successfully. Let’s look at my favourite charity model of micro-loans for example, the leadership strength of that form of non profit, is that there is a quiet leadership where all of the nuances and conditions to make that type of large scale condition happen is because it is all carefully crafted.
From the original application of the client, the process of acquiring the funds to give out to the client, the tracking of the client, the funds, which bank it comes from, how to maintain the relationship with the client and community, ensuring the loan is repaid, tracking the payments, tracking the donations, supporting the client and community after the loan is repaid…. All takes the work of an artistic crafter at work. Taking pride in what you do, understanding the tasks at hand, recognizing the details, and having the ability to manage all the tasks is like using a painter’s brush.
Moving forward through adversity and looking at change as opportunity can be a helpful and successful way to lead as well. People who have solid relationships, operate with integrity and are authentic are the leaders that others follow. You need to understand yourself, and what you truly want in order to become a good leader. Managing yourself and what you do with your time will inevitably lead to your success or failure. When you are leading ensure that you are fitting the needs of the business and honoring yourself in the process. It is all about inspiring faith in your company, employees, and customers, and having wisdom to make the right choices. Understanding the cause and effective of each decision, and having the wisdom to make the appropriate choice that will honor yourself and the company while keeping balanced.
Always learning, motivating, and working on yourself helps create a good leader. I love to use personal affirmations as well in the morning and remind myself of my goals for the day. When the mind is clear, creativity comes into play, and it allows you to be the best you can be. Being the best at whatever you do and nurturing yourself will help you become a person that others want to follow.
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? Feel Free. Simply include this blurb with it: Darcelle Runciman is a Mentor, Author, Speaker, and CEO of Strategic Biz Builder. Darcelle coaches entrepreneurs and business owners on understanding their brilliance and how to increase their profits for their companies by taking strategic steps to gain clarity and retain that balance that we all strive for. Darcelle works with groups, through speaking engagements, tele-classes, online products, and Adventure Mentoring Programs. For more information visit www.darcellerunciman.com or www.strategicbizbuilder.com or www.FengSHe.org
