I have been involved in learning about leadership for a long time. I was in 7th grade when my dad gave me my first John Maxwell book and told me that understanding leadership would change my life. My brother and I often joke with my dad when we run into tough situations in our lives that he ruined us by teaching us so much.
I have come to find that the reality is exactly what my dad said all those years ago, understanding leadership has the ability to change our lives.
I still have that book, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, that my dad gave me all those years ago. It sits on my book case and ever so often I read through it again to refresh the ideas that can become dusty when not used daily. In the book John Maxwell defines Leadership like this:
“Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.”
Over the years as I have come back to this principle time and time again I am amazed at the things I am learning about influence. Things such as:
Influence is built through relationship.
Influence is built over time, but destroyed in a moment, all based on your character, not your talent.
Influence is built by your journey, success and failures.
Influence is not a natural byproduct of expertise.
Influence, not policies and procedures, determines the environment and direction of an organization.
Influence takes discipline and hard work to develop.
It is this last idea that has been challenging me lately. I recently heard the following from someone:
“Some people are successful at lazy and call it failure.”
Over the years I have been charged with leading others in different organizations and capacities, some times with a position and title and some times as a volunteer. In all of those different circumstances, on all those different teams and initiatives I have found people who have struggled immensely in leadership capacities.
What I have begun to realize is that some people, often those who struggle in leadership positions, think like this:
I am titled a leader.
I was successful as a leader at one time, in one arena.
I will always have influence and be a good leader.
Those statements are simply not the truth!
Leadership and influence are hard work! Each new season as a leader requires you as a leader to work hard to build influence, adjust tactics, change directions, and learn.
When people can’t seem to build momentum as a leader they chalk it up to being a failure, when in reality some people are successful at being lazy and then turn around and call it failure.
Leading people is a lot of hard work, because building influence is hard work.
You cannot build influence in any capacity if you choose to be lazy. It will not be called failure by those who can see the details of your life, they will identify the problem correctly, laziness.
Leaders, be disciplined.
Leaders, put in the work required for the results you are desiring.
Leaders, identify weaknesses, adjust accordingly and press on.
Leaders, don’t call the mistress of laziness by any other name, it is a cruel master that will rob you of victory!