Recently, I formed a BUILT TO LEAD Group on LinkedIn. The purpose of that group is to allow our clients, former clients, friends, and supporters to gain access to content and tools that are designed to help them continue their Builder’s journeys, even if they are not in active development through a BUILT TO LEAD engagement. Think of the new group as a companion resource to this blog.
In addition, the LinkedIn group allows members to connect with one another. Once connected, we hope they will collaborate and interact, share their perspectives and build one another.
If you are on LinkedIn and haven’t been invited yet, just look up BUILT TO LEAD in the groups, and request to join. If you aren’t on LinkedIn yet, think about setting up a profile. It’s easy and fairly painless. I have been amazed at how many old friends I have reestablished contact with through LinkedIn.
Just this week, a BUILT TO LEAD group member started a discussion of what the cornerstones of leadership are, and what leadership’s primary aim is.
Here are my perspectives of what BUILT TO LEAD believes the cornerstones of leadership are:
Boil it all down, and the chief cornerstone of leadership is BELIEF. Belief in oneself. Belief in something larger than oneself. Belief in a vision of a more perfect future. And belief in the team.
Leaders are therefore BELIEVERS. They are on their individual hero’s journey–that ancient story that continues its relevance today. It’s a story of the journey that is both mythic for all humans, and necessary for every individual who would live a great life. Repeated throughout the history of great literature, scripture, and popular storytelling, that story is of a quest: the crisis or call that causes the hero to push off from familiar shores and sail into the uncertain and unexplored place, seize a prize or defeat a powerful adversary (or both) and return home safely, yet changed from the person who left.
This journey, call, and quest is what BTL calls OPUS–the pursuit of the authentic masterpiece of our work and our life–the unique mission only we as individuals can undertake for ourselves. It is “work” but not LABOR–which is the mindless and aimless pursuit of tasks and rewards that other people impose on us.
We have examined thousands of individuals, teams, and leaders through our study of history, biography, and the leadership literature of the modern business media. All would-be leaders face three questions, whether consciously asked or not, from potential followers: “Who are you?” and “Where are you taking us?” and “Why?”
Here’s what we’ve found. As Chet says. Do NOT miss this. This is HUGE: most leaders DO NOT KNOW the answers to those three questions.
True leaders are separated from what we call “positional posers” by their ability to answer the questions. We follow true leaders willingly, wholeheartedly, and with commitment of our full capabilities. They inspire us with their belief in themselves, in their vision, and in us. True leaders are called to a vision that always includes the common good. In this way, true leadership always boils down to a tremendous gift of SERVICE.
On the other hand, to the extent we are forced to “follow” posers who have been granted a position of political or organizational power over us, we do so cautiously, half-heartedly, and only with compliance to the letter of our responsibilities, not commitment. Many such “leaders” are driven, not called, to a false vision of greater power, more money, or personal aggrandizement. Most simply don’t know why they’re in charge. Either way, it’s impossible to give your wholehearted commitment to positional posers.
This is why there are so many mediocre organizations–there are so many people leading mediocre lives of LABOR, pursuing tasks, beliefs, and rewards they have allowed the world system to impose on them. This is also why there are so few examples of truly great organizations–there are far too few examples of individuals, teams, and leaders willing to lead great lives of OPUS.
Here is leadership’s primary aim: mastery in the art of living. The ‘work” true leaders do is nearly indistinguishable from their play; their “labor” seems a lot like leisure. This kind of work brings energy. It is difficult but never draining. Leaders whom we are willing to follow lead their lives as a mission, giving the full use of their talents over to the pursuit of excellence for the benefit of others.
The human world, in all its brokenness, sadness, and promise, is in dire need of individuals, teams, leaders, and organizations who are consciously dedicated to serving the real needs of real people to the full extent of their power to serve. The life granted to any individual, team, leader, or organization is both precious, and brief. This world is not served by anyone remaining asleep, or dead, or playing it safe, or holding back, or wasting the precious, short time they’ve been given.
We are often asked “Are leaders born, or bred?” We believe all individuals are both BORN AND BUILT to lead, even if that is only to lead their own lives consciously, fully, and well.
That’s what we BELIEVE at BUILT TO LEAD.
What do you believe?
BUILT TO LEAD 