Are you a figure head or a controller?  Do people nod deeply as you grant them the benefit of your accumulated wisdom and then get on with whatever they were going to do in the first place or do they scurry fearfully into your presence, ready to carry out your every whim regardless?

Over the top?  Well, unfortunately there are still some individuals who still practice and believe in a form of leadership which quite frankly has no place in 2015.  Some may have come fresh to the position of leadership and are making it up as they go along whilst others have copied the leadership style of their previous boss, or are simply relying on a style of leadership which they got from reading  books.  Whatever the cause, the effect is to place a person at the top of an organisation who has no idea about how to lead effectively in a modern workplace.

The popular perception may be that leadership is an organisational position but true leaders can sit at any level within an organisation and those who truly aspire to leadership need to develop the technical and personal skills which will enable them to inspire and develop others.  Modelling the way, inspiring a shared vision, enabling and empowering others to act are all traits of a great leader and those who can develop skills such as communication, delegation and trust are well on the way towards leadership.

But more than that you can’t be a leader unless and until you step up to the actions and attitudes expected of a great leader on a day to day basis. Leadership isn’t a title it is a role and the greatest leaders are those who speak through their actions, who embed leadership into the framework of the organisation, who empower and enthuse others to take up the challenge. 

We start our leadership journey long before we set foot in our own office with ‘boss’ on the door.  We should continue our leadership journey throughout life, taking the chance to learn and to develop so that we can truly lead others towards greatness.  But learning will only take us so far along the route and no amount of learning will compensate for ‘being the role’; for stepping up to the challenge and leading by example every day.  If you’d like to learn more about leadership development and The Leadership Challenge then feel free to get in touch at www.questleadershipdevelopment.com.