What really makes a GREAT LEADER?
Posted on June 08, 2022 by HB Pasley, One of Thousands of Business Coaches on Noomii.
Why don't we quit measuring ourselves to test our leadership abilities, and start measuring the outcomes we have produced in others!
Have you ever wondered why the smartest person in the room is not always the leader?
THERE IS A HEIGHT REQUIREMENT FOR LEADERSHIP
Leadership has a lot more to do with the ability to see what others can’t see than it does with having individual genius at a particular skill. Here is a question to help you understand this idea: In a crowded room, do you know how much taller you need to be in order to see over the crowd?
On average, about 4.25 inches.
That is the distance between your eyes and the top of your head. If you are just that much taller than average, you are likely to be able to see the exit signs in a room, which means that you can help everyone make progress toward safety.
You see, the smartest people, the most talented people, might be shorter in stature, but some of us were created to see a little farther, and therefore we are called on to help lead and guide everyone in the room toward success.
Your personal genius may not be the key to your best leadership practice. Your ability to lead might have more to do with your altitude. This is another way to process why leaders must have VISION.
Two things happened to me when I separated VISION from TALENT:
#1. First, I realized I could promote and celebrate the people on my team who were much smarter than me in almost every area. I no longer felt I needed to defend my lack of talent in certain areas.
#2. Second, I discovered I could learn the art of leadership by caring more for others—not by trying to be better than others. Often this meant talking more honestly about my weaknesses and asking for help.
#3. I learned I needed to talk more openly about how I saw the future and how I imagined us going forward together as a team. By telling others what I could “see” in the future, it created an invitation for others to join.
I am excited about inspiring your team with your vision of their best future. After all, you will not be measured as a great leader by what you are doing, but by what is happening in the lives of those around you.
Here’s to the best version of you—cheers!
- H.B.
