By Mark A. Taylor
Several myths about leadership were exposed at the 2012 Leadercast sponsored by Chick-fil-A, May 4. About 125,000 viewers gathered for the satellite-uplinked daylong session in key sites across the United States, including several thousand who attended the event live in Atlanta. All of them could have found at least one take-away for the leadership roles they fill at home or on the job.
One of the demolished myths is “I am not a leader.” Anyone listening to Tim Tebow might think of a hundred other professional athletes with no impact or only a negative example. But Tebow unassumingly insisted that leadership is nothing more than “the ability to influence somebody else.” The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback has put prayer and John 3:16 at the top of sports reporting everywhere simply by adopting the characteristics he used to describe leadership: be selfless, work hard, and determine to influence those around you.
A second myth is “All leaders are alike.” Author Marcus Buckingham, coauthor of Now, Discover Your Strengths, has developed a project to help leaders discover their top two “strength roles” and use them to lead. His research has defined nine such roles. He entertained the crowd with examples of successful leaders whose style and approach would be unthinkable to each other. But although their approaches are unique, all of them are leading successfully.
His presentation was a summary of his June article in the Harvard Business Review, “Leadership Development in the Age of the Algorithm.” His new book, StandOut, helps readers identify their particular approach to leadership. “There is no perfect leadership profile,” he said. “There are only best practices for your profile. Your challenge is to figure out what”s unique about you and make it useful.”
Andy Stanley, the first speaker of the morning, offered the most encouragement with the myth he exploded. One way to express it: “Since I”m the leader, I know what to do.” But often, Stanley said, leaders are more unsure than they want to admit.
“We know we don”t have all the information we need,” he said, “but people turn to us and we must make a decision.” His encouragement: “Uncertainty is why you”re a leader! You may think uncertainty proves you”re not a good leader, but uncertainty is why they need you.” Leaders, by Stanley”s definition are those “not intimidated by the uncertainty” they”re facing.
Many hear the word leader and assume it describes only one type of person in one kind of situation taking one kind of approach. The 2012 Leadercast helped all who attended realize the opportunities””and the need””for leadership from everyone who”s willing to lead.
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