As a leader, you can light a path for others to follow
[A] “self-proclaimed leader” can simply be a “
follower in disguise.” They work diligently at finding out where
the people want to go and take credit for leading them there.
By William T. “Doc” Hold, Ph.D., CIC, CPCU, CLU
You are entering a room to make a presentation to a group of people, some of whom you know. Lights are shining on you as you step to the podium and look through the glare to address the audience. At that moment, you have that gnawing feeling of “being alone.”
Yes, you have prepared and you have made presentations before, but at this time you are the “one”; you have taken a leadership role and you are the leader!
As you begin your presentation you have “followers,” the key requirement of a leader. How long you have followers depends in large measure on whether the audience appreciates or likes your presentation, whether they found it beneficial and would they ever want to listen again?
The above represents a microcosm of the pressures and elements of leadership and of truly being “alone in a crowd.”
Faces of leadership: the good, the bad, and the ugly
History teaches us that leaders can have many faces and the notion of leadership can have more than one interpretation. This is consistent with other crucial elements in human relationships, such as loyalty. There are acknowledged leaders who have led the world into horrible wars and ethnic conflicts while others have led populations across the globe to greater peace, prosperity, and independence.
The business community has experienced the same vagaries through financial scams, bribery, and outright theft. Individuals have made literally billions of dollars while leaving others awash in a sea of debt and worthless assets. It is important to understand that almost every segment of the business community, no matter the size, has not escaped these conditions.
The key lesson learned is this: “We should not confuse leaders or leadership with the ideas of good or bad or right or wrong.”
In a variety of ways, leaders of very different beliefs and motives share similar traits. One of the most disarming is that leaders will typically have a believable message(s) for significant numbers of people delivered in a remarkably consistent and sincere fashion. In the minds of many, sincerity is a very important part of the validity of the message. However, I know of no one who has questioned the sincerity of the beliefs of Joseph Stalin, Adolph Hitler, Al Capone or Bernie Madoff.
A second trait is that leaders will think and act in ways that are contrary to the conventional wisdom of the times. This is especially true in the earlier parts of their careers or lives. In summary fashion, they have read what others have read, listened to what others have said, and seen what others have seen, but they thought what no one has thought before them.
Third, leaders understand that the time span of being a recognized leader is uncertain and can cover very different time periods. The recognition of religious leaders such as Jesus have endured for more than a thousand years and for others, decades.
Given the time and the environment in which we now live, recognized leadership means continuing leadership. This requires success now and, at the same time, taking action to reach out to secure future success. Not an enviable or easy task but a necessary one.
Last, a trait not frequently mentioned: Oftentimes “self-proclaimed leaders” can simply be “followers in disguise.” They work diligently at finding out where the people want to go and take credit for leading them there.
In many cases they cloak themselves in the “comfort of inevitability.” In short, there are conditions, trends or events that are believed to be essentially uncontrollable; thus, they take no action under the guise of leadership.
Leadership recipes: the ingredients
An exhaustive discussion of leadership with all attendant implications is simply beyond the scope of this writing. However, there are essential ingredients, with “character” leading the list. Perhaps one of the most encompassing definitions is that “character is what you do when no one is watching.” In short, when “you are alone.” In various ways, character embodies elements of integrity, responsibility, influence, confidence, and initiative.
The second most important ingredient is having the clearest possible idea of purpose and desired goals. This becomes very difficult in the early days of a career or life that will be considered one of leadership. Underlying this difficulty is that very few people wake up in the morning and decide to be a leader. They are frequently led by their work and/or beliefs and an inner voice and strength that say, “Don’t give up on yourself and the small group of people who believe in you.”
This entire recipe is made even harder to successfully complete because in the initial stages many leaders are roundly criticized for their ideas, beliefs, and initial efforts. These initial criticisms may last through an individual’s entire career, lifetime, and beyond.
During these later years there will be individuals who will continually work to diminish the achievements of a leader or rationalize the achievements as the consequence of nothing more than good luck and random events. These negative activities are sometimes tied to the notion that the impact/importance of leadership is to be measured only by the number of followers.
Clearly, not every leader will have legions or throngs of followers. However, acknowledged leaders are typically actively influencing or in various ways directing the actions or thinking of others. This does not negate the fact that many individuals possess leadership qualities.
Searching for leaders: the leadership locator
Throughout the ages there have been unending searches for leaders and leadership, be it in religion, politics, or business. In recent years this search has become even more intense.
Perhaps instead of looking outward or to others for leadership, we should look for “leadership within.” The crucial question is where do we look? It is at this point that we use the “leadership locator”—a simple device that requires no outside power source or internet connection and is easily accessed.
Go into almost any room in your home or office, find a mirror, and look deeply within for the image of a leader. At this point you may dismiss this as foolish and just stupid. You may argue that you have little or no leadership experience. But you have been involved in one of the most demanding leadership tasks, leading just one person “yourself.”
After studying the image in the mirror, you conclude that leadership is out of the question because you are not rich, powerful, beautiful, handsome, or famous. However, the only real requirement is that you be the “best.”
After looking a little longer, you begin to believe that you will make leadership mistakes, suffer defeats and ultimately fail. It is crucial to understand that a life and career of leadership is composed of an unending series of beginnings and endings, and throughout this series you do not have to be undefeated to be an effective leader.
After viewing the “leadership locator” one more time, that gnawing feeling returns because you are only one person, one person alone in a crowd. But like one candle that can light other candles and still retain a flame, as a leader you can light a path for others to follow.
However, the history of leadership demonstrates that a pathway light can become a beacon that illuminates an entire horizon. This can happen through you, “alone in a crowd.”
The author
William T. “Doc” Hold, Ph.D., CIC, CPCU, CLU, is chairman emeritus of The Risk & Insurance Education Alliance, which he co-founded in 1969 as The Society of CIC. Under his leadership, The Alliance has grown to become one of the most prestigious insurance education organizations in the world. In this column, Doc shares his personal insights and opinions, which are not necessarily those of The Alliance or its board members.
