To be clear, leaders can’t always provide that for them and shouldn’t try. The best leaders are collaborators far more than they come with all the answers. But part of our leaders job is to bring people together for a common good, synergize the group, find common ground, and develop and empower people for a greater reality.
And this one alone is a perfect for my colleagues who try to lead people into Biblical faith.
6. Individuality is rampant.
Have you noticed? Everyone has an opinion and their opinion matters most. (If you haven’t, you’re likely not on social media.)
This is the recipe for confusion and frustration. But leadership is at its best when it is providing clarity of thought and bridging differing points of view to get to a common vision.
7. Conflict is divisive.
It is perfectly natural to have conflict on issues where people disagree. Today, however, it seems people can’t even agree to disagree. As a result, you are either for a person’s viewpoint or it is like you can’t be friends anymore. How sad!
Great leaders are diplomats. Therefore, leaders should find ways to bridge common ground – even among people who may disagree. They build unity around worthy visions. Therefore, leadership is most successful when it is creating good for others that even people on opposing sides can get behind and support.
10. Of course, all of this points to a major difference in leading and managing.
You can manage the “knowns” with the right structure and systems. Leadership requires providing something that isn’t necessarily here right now and you aren’t yet sure how to attain it.
In closing, I’m reminded of this John Kotter quote:
“Management is about coping with complexity. Its practices and procedures are largely a response to the emergence or large, complex organizations in the twentieth century.
Leadership, by contrast, is about coping with change. Part of the reason it has become so important in recent years is that the business world has become more competitive and more volatile. More change always demands more leadership.”
The bottom line is it is a time for leadership. It is a great time to lead. Yes, it is hard, but all leadership is difficult.
This article about a time to lead originally appeared here, and is used by permission.
