Nothing is more important in my reading and writing than Leadership Development and the growth that results from it. Why? Because just like John Maxwell says, “Everything Rises and Falls on Leadership.”
Now that I am in my mid-forties, I can see a major gap between the leadership skills in my generation as compared to the skills of the next generation. The fact is, my generation is responsible for developing the next generation and based on what I have seen, we are failing.
I know that is a farily broad generalization and there are some great leaders out there in their twenties but it seems to me that the majority of our future generation is more concerned with what they get instead of what they give.
I have experienced many leaders that use their position primarily to create a group of people that will do what they want and basically do the majority of the work. The more followers, the more power and the more work that can be done. I have also seen leaders that are more concerned with developing their followers into leaders. Leaders that will carry positive momentum and eventually develop those that they influence into leaders themselves.
Maxwell does a great job comparing the FOCUS of leaders who attract followers and leaders who develop leaders. Here are six differences in comparing the two types of leaders.
1. A strong leader will develop leaders around him so that his team can successfully continue with, or without him.
- Leaders Who Attract Followers … Want to Be Needed
- Leaders Who Develop Leaders … Want to Be Succeeded
2. A strong leader will invest the time and effort in developing the leaders around him. These will be the leaders of the future.
- Leaders Who Attract Followers … Develop the Bottom 20 Percent
- Leaders Who Develop Leaders … Develop the Top 20 Percent
3. A strong leader will build on the strengths of his followers. He realizes that we all have a different skill set and that it is better to enhance the gifts we already have and utilize them accordingly.
- Leaders Who Attract Followers … Focus on Weakness
- Leaders Who Develop Leaders … Focus on Strengths
4. A strong leader will recognize potential and will make sure that those willing to invest in themselves will receive the opportunities to do so.
- Leaders Who Attract Followers … Treat Individuals the Same
- Leaders Who Develop Leaders … Treat Individuals Differently
5. A strong leader will make every minute count. Time spent with his followers will focus on personal and professional growth.
- Leaders Who Attract Followers … Spend Time with Others
- Leaders Who Develop Leaders … Invest Time in Others
6. A strong leader recognizes that developing leaders around him will exponentially create a larger group of leaders. Leaders will develop more leaders and followers will simply continue to follow.
- Leaders Who Attract Followers … Grow by Addition
- Leaders Who Develop Leaders … Grow by Multiplication
In order to create the type of explosive growth that Maxwell describes can only be done by multiplying the amount of leaders that we have on our team. All of us is better than one of us and when all of us are influencing others in a positive way that facilitates growth, our team will continue to grow and produce positive results.
The clear question then becomes, “What kind of Leader do you want to be?”
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Barry Smith www.buildingwhatmatters.com 9/26/12 photo by author
