When it comes to good leadership, getting ourselves ‘right’ to lead is imperative. Having the wrong person leading has a negative effect on individuals and culture, cripples growth and provides unsustainable outcomes. With the right person leading, the positive effect ripples through to families, businesses and communities and around the world. It all starts with being the best individual we can be, leading by example and earning the right to lead.
There is a direct relationship between the effectiveness of a leader and the profitability and sustainability of their business or organisation.
When we measure success in business we often look at these areas:
- happy customers and repeat business
- high profits
- low absenteeism
- low staff turnover.
Research shows that having happier employees results in lower absenteeism and turnover. When a leader focuses on getting the best from the people within the team, the team is better placed to deliver value to the customers. This in turn results in an improved bottom line.
The journey of self-improvement never ends and at some point many will choose to share their knowledge to help others and lead. But there are some with a driver’s license that haven’t learnt to drive well. So too in leadership, the title leader does not necessarily mean good leadership. To lead well, we must work on our attitude, knowledge and skills and lead by example, always living what we teach. In this rapidly changing world, we are faced with new challenges daily, and as leaders, we must continue to experience what others experience. Those who have walked the path you want to walk are truly the best to lead you to success.
And although the leadership journey is exciting and rewarding it’s not always easy. Jim Rohn says:
“The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not a bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humour, but without folly.”
Get yourself right, lead by example and earn the right to lead.
