Today, we're going to talk about becoming a leader. When I was 21 years old about to graduate from college. I decided to become an army officer. I went before this board of senior officers, and they asked me a question, what makes you a great leader? Of course, I was 21. I didn't know. A few months later, I had a commission and then I went off to war in charge of some people. Throughout my career, I have been watching leaders and always asking myself that same question. What makes them a great or not so great leader. So when you're a young person ready to become a leader, how do you get there.
Your five steps. Be a follower. Before you can lead, you have to learn how to follow that part is not glamorous, but it's crucial. Have a mentor. Your mentor doesn't have to be an old guy or a fancy CEO. Just someone who has walked the walk and talked the talk ahead of you. Can stop you in your tracks when you're going down the wrong road. Put your needs last. Once you have a team, this is one of the keys for getting them to bond and to trust you as their leader. You have to be able to make each person feel important and that they know what their value is to your team.
Leadership isn't about you and your need. It's about them. You have to live your values. You have to breathe and live it every minute of every day.
Because now you're well into your route of becoming a leader and people are watching you. Your followers need to know what you stand for and you need to stand for it all the time, not just when it's convenient. That five is don't try to find shortcuts to real influence. An influencer is anyone that can convince people to change their perspective, change their actions or change their life. It usually doesn't take them a lot of words, an influencer, someone who's figured out what it takes to be a great leader.
There are also some pitfalls along the path to becoming a great leader. The first is ego and ego is a big one. Many almost great leaders fall prey to it. Many cult leaders, dictators, or CEOs that go down in infamy and sometimes to jail have succumbed to their own ego. The power of having followers can be a strong alert. You just can't ever forget that you're there for your people. They're not there for you. If your colleagues, bosses, friends or followers can tell that you aren't willing to sacrifice anything of yourself, you'll quickly find yourself alone.
Finally, there are those who try to bypass the steps to becoming a great leader. It takes strength of character to pay your dues. It takes never losing sight of your values and your why. I encourage you to keep leadership in your sights no matter how young or how new you are. Remember that just because you have a title, it doesn't mean you're a true leader yet. Find others to follow and learn from and always ask yourself, what makes them a great leader. Never forget that culture is one of the strongest resources that you have at your disposal. It's right up there with human technological and financial resources. Of course, you shouldn't ignore it. Learn to harness it and go forth and be great too.
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