Aug 11, 2008

You Don't Need A Title to be a Leader



Recently, the owner of a pharmaceutical company that I know, and let us name him Mr. Ang, is looking for someone, a team leader to hold a very critical project in the company. He is looking for a leader who will really do a great job. After much thought, he considered Frank who was very good in his work and has great potential as well. But after explaining the project and what Frank will do what Mr. Ang wants him to do, he invited him to lead the very important project.

Frank replied with, “I hope you will promote me if I take this project.”

His candid response caught Mr. Ang by surprise. It just shows the real motivations of Frank. Either he is a person with the need to gain or the need to contribute. Will Frank act in the best interest of the company or just for himself. So Mr. Ang explained to Frank the real situation that Frank will not be promoted after this assignment. Mr. Ang withdrew his offer and came up with another candidate for this project. He thought of Ben who has shown great potential and promise as well. Ben is just in a freelance status and he felt that his team would need someone like Ben with such problem-solving skills and a strong perception in life. So Mr. Ang offered Ben to lead the project with apprehension because of what happened with the experience with Frank. After saying the offer to Ben he added: “Please bear in mind that I won’t promote you if you decide to lead this project.”

Ben simply answered, ”It is alright. I don’t need a title to be a leader.”

Leadership is Influence. Everyone has the opportunity to lead, whether everyday or every minute. It does not matter what your position is, whether you help your family or in your school, or a leading company or how long you have worked at your job. Being a leader can easily be learned.

A leadership expert defines leadership as a positive influence, and that is the simplest definition of leadership that I know. People lead for different reasons and the most common denominator among the leaders is the passion for what they do and passion for life. If you give 110% in your work it will come back a hundredfold. The more you put yourself in a certain task, the more it reflects back on you.

How does a leader take action? A leader leads through relationships with people and not to their control over people. A leader collaborates rather than control and knew they can shape their careers and lives positively. A leader persuades others to contribute instead of ordering them to. A leader gets others to follow them out of commitment and respect rather than compliance and fear.

The Leadership Test. Leaders aren’t born; they learn to be a leader. If you have no title or the ability to reward or just penalize your subordinates, can you get them to follow you?

Many are unaware of how much of a leader one is. You may be called a leader but you are “untitled”. In other words your title does not reflect all that you accomplish.

One Last Thing. Leadership is about the small things each of us can do everyday to influence the customers, friends, colleagues, and other communities.

You desire to lead if you really want to:
• take control of your life
• grab new opportunities
• make the company run better
• improve the service the customers receive
• solve problems
• persuade others to do their best always
• give to the betterment of others
• make the world a better place to live in

And you don’t need a title to do it.

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