Leadership can be a luxury or it can be a burden… depending on who you ask. Some people are wired to be leaders and some aren’t. Some want to be leaders, others don’t.
Some people want to be seen as leaders, but don’t have the apathy for it. Other’s have all the intrinsic tools, but aren’t brave enough for it. And still some, think they are leaders when they are merely dictators.
In order to earn the “luxuries” of leadership, we must first be willing to suffer the burden of it’s hardships. Let’s take a look at what makes great leaders and why they do it.
Burden of Leadership
People don’t want their time wasted by someone selling them the idea of leadership. People want a leader that makes real sacrifices for them. And yes, you read that correctly, people want to be lead.
They want to follow someone that lives their life with character and cares about others’ well being all the times. Not just in front of the camera or when it is convenient for them.
All leaders have to sacrifice. Leadership is difficult and the title of Leader does not just get placed on anyone. It is earned through hard work. These are some of the things great leaders are willing to take on for their people and from their people.
- Criticism – Their every move will be watched & judged, and it won’t always be nice and pretty
- Transparency – They will have to be open or people will think they have false motives
- Character – If they say one thing, but do another, they cannot expect respect
- Expectations – They are the tip of the spear, they have to set the bar and be the first one to step out into the unknown
- Tough (moral) Decisions – They are only as good as their last decision, what they stand for will constantly be challenged
- Serving Others – Taking the focus off of themselves is the hardest thing many of them have to do
- Giving Respect – To everyone, even the janitor: If they demand it but don’t give it, they will receive is a smile to the face and the bird behind the back
- Being Selfless – Putting the needs of the group ahead of their own is where many people can’t make the cut
- Accept the Blame – They accept responsibility for mistakes, even if it was not their fault
- Deflect the Praise – They put the praise onto their team, they do not accept it for themselves because they know they are nothing without the people around them
It’s Not for Everyone
There is a reason that so many people study leadership, it is uncommon. If everyone had it, there wouldn’t be courses, books, and entire school dedicated to it. Think about it, there are not books on blinking… everyone can blink! It’s hard to lead. For some, that’s all they strive for. For others, they can’t run far enough away from it.
And that’s fine. Not everyone needs to or should lead. If you feel you need to lead out of obligation, you aren’t doing anyone a favor.
Some people think that they have to be leaders in every situation. These are often the ones that confuse control with leadership. Learning to follow is a part of leadership, and it’s one thing that requires putting pride on the shelf. If you cannot do that, you cannot be an effective leader.
If you struggle with that whole ‘pride’ thing, you probably won’t get the whole ‘admitting you are wrong’ thing either. If this is something you can’t do, leadership probably isn’t in the cards for you.
“Luxuries” of Leadership
The “luxuries” I’ve been talking about are not end goals that people look to attain, they are byproducts of leadership.
If you are the type of person on the hunt for these, your motives are petty and this should be your wake-up call. If you want to be a leader, your motivation has to be pure and you have to be self-less.
By definition, “self-less” means having little concern for one’s own interests. And if you want to be a leader for all the things that come with the territory, people are going to see right through you.
Real Payoffs
Yes, there are plenty of things that make leadership hard. In fact, I’d argue that in numbers, there are more things that make leadership difficult than there are payoffs. But that payoff it big and it’s sweet. And that’s what makes them so special to us!
My generation, Y (& X too), doesn’t have the patience that our predecessors do. We are not used to having to wait… for anything. And leadership is not something that produces instant gratification. Hence one of the reasons a lot of young people struggle with leadership, they aren’t willing to put in the time.
Nor does being a leader produce tangible things like awards, plaques, or titles. Sure, you may get some of those things as a byproduct of your leadership, but real leaders aren’t motivated by those. They are driven by the people that surround them.
The payoff of being a leader comes back in waves from your people. If you ask anyone that has received these, they will tell you the same thing. This is not what they were in search of, these just came. And they made all the hardships worth it in the end.
- Earned Respect – Not to be confused with respect from fear or power.
- Guidance – When people look up to you they will ask you to help them. There is no better feeling than helping someone pull through a tough time or helping them transform themselves.
- Trust – If you are doing your job well, people will put their lives in your hands. That is all the motivation some of us need to get out of bed in the morning.
- Serving Others – Leaders help people accomplish their dreams. If that in itself is not a reward, than you have some soul searching to do!
- Humility – Nothing compares to the sensation of people working hard for you to make you proud. And when you realize what they sacrifice for you, it will bring you down a notch and make you appreciate them even more.
If you are willing to endure the hardships and bare the burden of leadership, you really love your people. Otherwise, those acts are torture and it will be written on your face. People see through false motives, but they also see when someone pours their heart and soul into others and into their work.
What do people see when they look at you?
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Leadership is not a science, it’s an art. Who are some of the great leaders you’ve had the chance to work with or study?
Have a great weekend!
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