If your actions inspire….
Before you can lead someone else, you must be able to lead yourself. That includes your sense of purpose, your self-actualization, discipline and humility. But the question is: how does one truly become a good leader? The answer is to read and steal from others! According to Adler in How to Read a Book, reading has been shown to improve emotional intelligence, organizational effectiveness, communication, and to reduce stress.[1] With all of this criteria in hand, being an effective leader is as simple as 1-2-3!
So where do we begin to reach out to build leadership skills? Well, the Handbook of Leadership Theory and Practice is definitely a start! I felt most drawn to the unit about the development of leaders: knowing, doing and being. I think this is a crucial focus area for learning how to become a positive leader. Many leaders feel they are leaders – only because of their title![2] However, Leo Tuz, a famous Chinese philosopher, said: “A leader is best when people barely know he exists. When his work is done and his aim fulfilled, they will say – we did it ourselves. This is truly what makes a good leader.”
The authors noted that social identity theory refers to the process by which people define their self-concept in terms of their membership in various social circles. Research has shown that members who identify strongly with their organization and its values perform more effectively than those who do not.[3] So, a great leader must help individuals to believe in their positions and their unique ability to make a difference.
It is believed that people in authority influence their followers, but I believe that followers also influence the leader. We must always learn from our clients, patients or congregants as we are ‘leading them,’ because they are the ones who will either embrace our ideas or negate them. Keeping an open mind as a leader and embracing the value of our followers is crucial. Marian Anderson, a famous singer and philanthropist, once said: “Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it.” We cannot know their needs without listening to our followers.
When I worked as a Director of the American Red Cross, changes in protocol were continual and ongoing. I learned that change can cause disillusionment in employees who do not cope well with transition. So, with each new change that was directed by Corporate and that I had to “sell” to my sales reps, I would require from Corporate that they dictate three positives for this change. Literally, I would ‘require’ three reasons why this change was a positive for my reps or for the company before I would introduce it to my employees for implementation. I’m sure Corporate was not too happy with me at times, but I was able to bless my reps with a positive approach to the change, thus curbing work avoidance mechanisms to kick in. So, there are effective tools that leaders can utilize to create a positive culture with regards to the negatives that change can cause to those who are not able to easily accept it.
In Leadership Without Easy Answers, I found the ideas on charisma within leaders to be fascinating. The author noted: “We attribute charisma to people who voice our pains and provide us with promise.”[4] Through this viewpoint, leaders are often seen as larger than life. But the author explained that ‘they do not realize that the source of this charisma is their own yearning.’ The author continued with the fact that “authority constrains leadership because in times of distress, people expect too much.”[5] A person can exercise authority over others when in a formal position, but that does not make them a ‘leader.’ Leadership is a process – while a leader is a person of influence and motivation. Helping others find their own internal strength is what makes a truly great leader.
I have actually found this scenario true in my Hospice leadership role. I can’t change the health of someone who is suffering, but I can offer questions to them to help them see a new ending for their life. “So, what do you feel will happen after you die? Do you feel peace in that? Can I help you see another way? Let me tell you about Heaven….” The same is true for helping them accept their situation (adaption) as well as challenging the norms of the situation for my patients. “Yes, this suffering isn’t God’s best, but this isn’t God’s final answer either. Heaven is waiting, and Jesus is with you, so you are never alone on this journey through life.” I often find myself challenging the human ‘norm’ of my patients thinking they are immortal because they can’t face the fact that they are dying. Yet, I explain that we are all dying – one day at a time – from the moment we are born. But then I try to help them accept that we are actually dying only on earth, because our eternal life awaits. It is such a privilege to help patients understand that there is so much more ahead of them on their journey Home.
A final, powerful quote from John Quincy Adams says it all: “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then you are a Leader.” So true!
[1] Mortimer Adler and Charles Doren, How to Read a Book (New York: Touchstone, 2011).
[2] Nitin Nohria and Rakesh Khurana, Handbook of Leadership Theory and Practice (Boston: Harvard Publishing, 2010)
[3] Ibid, 165.
[4] Ronald Heifetz, Leadership Without Easy Answers (Cambridge: Harvard Publishing, 2001)
[5] Ibid, 66.
About the Author
Nancy VanderRoest
Nancy is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and fulfills God's calling on her life by serving as a Chaplain & Counselor with Hospice. In her spare time, Nancy works with the anti-human trafficking coalition in her local community.11 responses to “If your actions inspire….”
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Thanks, Nancy enjoyed the insights that you wrote in this blog. When you said, “A person can exercise authority over others when in a formal position, but that does not make them a ‘leader.’ Leadership is a process – while a leader is a person of influence and motivation. Helping others find their own internal strength is what makes a truly great leader”, I screamed a big YES on the inside! I think sometimes as leaders we forget that a process brought us to where were we are, we are still going through a process and the people we are leading are also going through a process. At times it is easy to forget that leadership is a human process not an objective with an outcome. Thanks for sharing your hospice example as it really brings this to bare.
Thanks for your response, Mario. Yes, I do think understanding the “process” is not always easy to do. We want the answers and forget that it’s all a learning curve and that there is a process that will continue to be part of our leadership. I appreciate your insight, Mario.
Thank you Nancy for the great insights about leadership. I like particularly your insight about the social identity theory that people who identify with in their organization and its values tend to perform better than those who don’t. This theory so clearly illustrates the responsibility of the leader to influence the followers to identify with the vision of the organization to achieve the objectives of the organization.
Thanks for responding to my post, Wallace. I do believe that when a follower/employee/congregant feels they have some ‘ownership’ in the process of the organization, they are more involved and productive. I think people who believe in the mission also feel more valued in the end. Blessings to you, my friend.
Great post, Nancy. I love your thought about getting corporate to give you three positives for each change, brilliant!
Your quote by Tuz is inspiring as it reflects true humility in leadership. Keeping this quote before us checks our motivation for leading. Do we care who gets the credit? Can we find fulfillment in leading from the unseen place? Important thoughts.
Thanks for your insight, Tammy. I agree that there is power in Tuz’s philosophy, as a leader should really just be a mentor to help others find success through guidance. Thanks for sharing, Tammy.
Nancy, What a gift you are! You are so right, the most effective leader is almost invisible. He or she is constantly modeling and working behind the scenes to empower others to develop, grow, and lead. Yes, leadership is a life-long process, not a title or a position. Thanks so much for modeling transformative leadership. Blessings, H
Hi Harry. Thanks for your kind response. I wish I was always a knowledgeable leader, but I’ve certainly not always been so wise on my journey! However, I do think that the value of a great leader is to be a support system to really potentially-talented ‘followers’ who must truly learn to shine on their own. A great leader creates success in others…
I appreciate your drawing out the importance of listening to our followers. In my early days as a pastor it was easy to recognize that many in my congregation had been walking the journey of faith much longer than I had. I decided I would always work to learn as much as I could from them. The older I get, the more I see how much I don’t know—so I just try to learn from all of them! What do you think the key to following well is?
Hi Jenn. You are so young and yet you are already an amazing motivator and influencer. So you are certainly leading in a positive way – by shining your light for others to glow! I think a follower needs to feel some ‘ownership’ (truly believe) in the leadership of the organization to want to push forward and make things happen. I believe a great leader should help to make others feel successful and accomplished in their endeavors…
I love the way you bring out that good leaders influence the people they lead; and equally the people they leader influence leadership. In other word both leaders and those they lead are influencers of each other. The question is, Are we all leaders? Is leadership seen when one is given respeonsibility?