A - Z (Ambition to Zeal)

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A - Z (Ambition to Zeal)

LEADERS are not made in heaven. They take birth on earth and the best are as earthy as you can get. Often though, one wonders at some leaders who display all the qualities of a shrinking violet and appear to constantly avoid taking decisions that they should and passing on major decisions to their next-in-command. Such avoidance indicates incompetence and demoralises teams and the only ones that will celebrate the ascension of a reluctant leader is the competition.

All teams follow leaders that show that they want to lead. There are only a few things that all leaders may have in common, and primary among those commonalities is the fact that they are willing to put up with the responsibility of leadership and will serve their subordinates with the faithfulness that they would expect in return. They are all sincere; they display benevolence, have courage and are firm in the exercise of their authority. The ways they choose may be different from each other, but the basics remain - a strong desire to lead and bring their teams to success.

There must be a strong drive to achieve recognition. A leader that is recognised brings credit to his team. A person who has worked under a successful leader, known in the field, is a subordinate who is envied and admired.

Personal problems and issues are secondary to the great leader. He will show strength in adversity and magnanimity in success. He will face rejection with aplomb and discouragement will not bring him down. He will rise and repeatedly rise from defeat to emerge victorious.

He does not do all the work himself; he delegates the work so that each person works at his personal potential for the combined success of the team and the organisation. He is the oil that greases the machinery of the team.

A successful leader is one that builds up a legend around himself. He appears to make decisions that are spontaneous, but are in actuality thought through carefully so that success is reasonably certain. The story about the `hunch that paid off' will sustain his team and himself through other travails. Becoming a byword is good for the team and its leader.

In every case the great leader must remember that he must think before he acts. A leader who does not do his homework is a leader without the vision to succeed. Depending on luck is not a trait that should be followed.

Good leaders do not have ideas alone. They have a plan to implement their ideas. They have a plan that includes the deployment of men and other resources that ensures success. A leader that neglects to use all the resources he needs is a leader who cuts corners. A leader who does not listen to counsel is a feckless leader who will be defeated by his own arrogance. A wise leader listens, processes and plans accordingly.

A good leader encourages excellence in his subordinates. A bad one feels threatened by a bright follower. Great leadership comes from developing subordinates to take over when the need arises to move further up the ladder. A leader that neglects this will rarely rise above his present position.

A leader must maintain connections with other leaders so that he can see what is happening around him. He must network and socialise and look for ways to improve his own performance. He must be tactful and observant and see if he can improve his team in a more efficient way.

A leader should change - but only for the better. He should welcome new avenues for learning, and should make every effort to outshine every other leader. He should strive to be the leader that other teams would want as their own leader.

A leader should not embrace ostentation and acquire the trappings of success. To lead with flamboyance and style does not make a leader great, to lead with compassion and understanding does. Temper flamboyance with care for subordinates and ensure loyalty and strength.

A great leader is one with his team but stands apart in loneliness when he judges. He should not be feared but respected, and he should not use words that hurt but words that heal. He should be there always but know when to allow his team to have time for themselves.

Good leaders become aware of their flaws, accept them and work on eradicating them constantly. One that succeeds in this endeavour is true to himself and to his team.

Many people think that leading is all about getting ahead, but by persisting with all the charm of an enraged cobra to woo his team, he will get nowhere and will, before long, be left teamless, and destroyed. Take a leaf out of the epics and get there - where you belong!

Author's Note: The article above is a distillation of all the leaders I have met in a career of 33 years, while many were admirable, it is those that weren't who are the inspirations for these lessons.

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