HOW TO BECOME A LEADER

I recently started reading a book called “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” by John Maxwell. What a great book to pass on to your co-workers and employees! While not all of us are born leaders, Maxwell explains how each of us can become leaders, thereby increasing our effectiveness.

Leadership is important to the success of a business enterprise. It’s vital, in fact. Without leadership, organizations can make no progress. They are stuck at a complete standstill. Leaders are necessary to provide the vision, the influence, and the follow-through that is necessary to put a plan in motion.

Can you tell a good leader just by their appearance? Not likely. Many people have misconceptions about what makes a leader. Maxwell lists five, in particular:

Management Myth - People tend to think leading and managing are the same thing. Not so. Leadership is about influencing people while management is most often about maintaining systems and processes.
Entrepreneur Myth – Don’t assume that all entrepreneurs are leaders. Entrepreneurs are often good at seeing opportunities and going after them, but are not always good with people.
Knowledge Myth – High IQ and a good education do not always lead to good leadership. Consider a brilliant scientist who can come up with fascinating ideas but has no concept of leadership.
Pioneer Myth – Being the first to do something does not make you a leader. You need people intentionally following you and acting on your vision.
Position Myth – This is the most common myth. It’s not the position that makes the leader; it’s the leader that makes the position.

So how do we become a leader if it’s not innate? It’s simple. We become a student of leadership. There are several areas where we can improve ourselves, thus improving our leadership.

Character – Do you have depth of character?
Relationships – Who do you know and what kind of relationship have you established with them?
Knowledge – Have you done your homework? Do you have a grasp on the facts and a vision for the future?
Intuition – Can you make a decision based on what you feel?
Experience – Where have you been and what has it taught you?
Past Success – What have you done in the past that has had a positive impact?
Ability – What are you capable of? Can you lead a team/group/organization to victory?

Every organization needs leaders. To hone these skills and improve the overall function of your organization, become a student of leadership. It’s never too late to learn.

--LeAnn Carlson is the Audit Manager for Cook & Associates, CPAs, a full-service public accounting firm serving clients from offices in San Marcos and San Antonio, TX