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We place ourselves in the hands of leaders throughout our lives. We entrust these people to lead us to fulfillment. I was blessed at the beginning of my career to work for several geniuses: Hod Blaney at the University of Cincinnati Sports Information who taught passion for accuracy, Myron Jones at Union Central Life who taught how to have fun writing, Mark Wiederschein at a promotion agency by his name who taught how business works, Jim Willmes who taught how to integrate media but more importantly taught endurance over obstacles.
Leadership is a delicate thing. I am quite happy today with the leaders I chose to follow.
Some 2,300 years ago, Aristotle noted that more than anything else, our primal nature is to seek happiness. And yet, so many of us end up anxious, bored and unhappy. Our pursuit of happiness passed through other goals: health, beauty, money, power in the belief that they would make us happy.
Those who assume the role of leader, whether it is in the classroom, a marketing department, a boardroom, a church or a neighborhood civic organization – we must carry with our mantle the responsibility to help make people happy and successful. Great leaders move us to be the best we can be. Such leadership works through the emotions. It stands to reason then that if we aspire to be transformational leaders that we must understand the emotions of those who follow; leaders must deliver happiness.
One of the surprising observations from watching TV reality shows such as Survivor, Big Brother and The Apprentice is that bright, energetic people have a terrible time establishing leadership when thrown into a group setting. These shows may be trite, but they are labs in which all the emotions of life are condensed into a 60-day forced march. All these same emotions play out in the real world of working inside a company – whether large or small.
The contenders always seem to be more about control than service toward others. Surely none of us want to follow an arrogant, self-filled leader. We gladly place ourselves under leadership when the individual works toward the common good and happiness rather than taking home the cherished personal achievement award.
Why is this such a difficult skill to master?
Perhaps because we have to fight down our own self-importance to stifle sprouts of arrogance.
Remember no one wants to follow arrogance.
How can we each get better at making people around us happy and successful? Doing good for others helps. Carrying your own load in a team assignment helps. Showing others the benefit of working together helps.
When is it easiest to learn how to serve others with a vision, strategy and energy that makes everyone involved feel good? I submit it is now. Whether you are in a class at Auburn, in your first job on a career path, or well along that path. The easiest time to begin making others around you successful and happy is now.
Leadership begins within each of us. Who do you want to be? Who are you now? What can you do about the gap between present state and future state? Chart out a path to your own happiness and then how you can make everyone around you as happy and successful as possible. Find a mentor to lead you on this path. It starts now, in the classroom – the perfect time to perfect your leadership skills.
The task of launching a major initiative – a new product launch, a new business, a new committee – becomes the classroom for each of us. I watch people in business who are emotionally tired but who demand control. No significant decision can be made without them. They point fingers when things go wrong. They put up shields to protect themselves from responsibility. They withhold information others need to do their jobs well. They absorb all the fun in business for themselves and let others serve as drones to get done what will make such a control freak happy. They become the only happy people on the team.
The good leaders don’t use line authority to succeed. They use communication and collaboration. The share information. They encourage us to be happy and successful. They teach. They pour themselves out to make the team successful.
How much better if such business people would examine themselves with the “honesty flashlight” and shine it on themselves and the people surrounding them and work to make everyone happy and successful?
Let me repeat: (1) Who do you want to be? (2) Who are you now? (3) What does the gap tell you. (4) Chart a path to become who you want to be. (5) Find a mentor to help you through the rough spots.
