The Qualities of True Leadership
Looking at the quote below you might anticipate that only those at ‘The Top’ can be leaders or indeed need leadership coaching.
“Leadership Coaching, however, is a collaborative, individualised relationship between a leader and the coach — the leader could well be an executive, manager, supervisor, team leader or business owner for example — anyone in charge or responsible for a group of people. Coaching is a partnership”
I believe something different needs to be acknowledged. I believe that if we did acknowledge it, our systems and businesses and our societies would be much better off for it. I believe Leadership happens at all levels of an organisation and all levels of our society. Some leaders are indeed in leadership roles with an official mandate
Some leaders, most, in fact, have un-mandated leadership roles. That people follow them nevertheless means that they have a genuine talent for leading the way forward. These people don’t need any kind of authority to grant them permission to have power because they already have it.
How? They have gained power with an inner certainty and with a talent for recognising what needs doing. These individuals embody the vigilance, and self-discipline that ensures that that need is met. These leaders have an unstintingly curious attitude and a vision that means they can see a different way. These leaders have courage. With the courage to stand up and say what needs saying and with the patience to hold that line and make it accessible to others understanding. That is what leadership is
Leadership is…
It is the courage, the persistence and the insistence that change needs to be made. It is the courage to stand up in that face of ‘authority’ and say this needs to be done differently, even when your manager says ‘but, this is the way we have always done it’. It is the persistence that will evidence why this change is needed. It is the insistence that takes this need to change up through all the levels of authority until it is heard. Leadership is fuelled by authenticity and passion.
“True leaders listen to themselves and they listen to their peers and they make sure that the thing that needs doing, gets done.”
True leaders are not born into positions of authority. True leaders listen to themselves and they listen to their peers and they make sure that the thing that needs doing, gets done. Leaders are people like me’ ‘n thee who see things through to completion. Recognise these strengths early on and we can go far.
Leadership coaching is the process by which leaders are developed. Notice leadership, nurture it and the world can benefit from it.