We talked about leaders vs. followers in the last blog entry and, today, we continue with some more thoughts on leaders.
John Quincy Adams sums it up pretty well, wouldn't you agree?
Just because people "follow" you doesn't make you a leader! Yes, it's true in our current world of social media but it also applies in actual, physical situations.
You may be a boss that has many people follow your instructions but, friend, that does NOT make you a leader. It makes you a boss.
Can you be a boss AND a leader at the same time? Sure you can...just re-read the graphic above and answer that question for yourself.
I had a "boss" not too long ago that actually told a group of new employees one day that he didn't care about them. It was really quite confusing because in one breath he would talk about how much this company would take care of their employees and then, in the next breath, he said, "I don't care about you. I don't care anything at all about you. I pay - you do!"
Guess what? He didn't get much - if any - respect from his employees. He did NOTHING to inspire and, in big part due to his actions, this company has several billboards that ALWAYS indicate that this company is hiring.
You know why? No one is staying!
Here's the kicker: there ARE some leaders that work there IN SPITE OF this guy at the helm. They actually DO inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more. These leaders are not afraid to encourage those that listen to step away from this job that will bring in "decent" wages and take on bigger and more rewarding challenges.
Again, having followers does NOT make you a leader.
Who are YOU following? Are you being inspired?
And you, Mr. "Leader" (or so you may think)....do you fit the criteria set at the beginning of this article today by Mr. Adams?
If not, why not make a change and see what is possible in YOUR life and in the lives of those that you can lead?
It's up to you. It's your choice.
Here's to those that actually LEAD and INSPIRE....thank you.
For each of us along the journey, always remember to...
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
Mike
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