What Kind of Marketing Leader Can You Become?

I support Dale here and would further add that Humility is key in leadership and successful teamwork. “You can get far without it, but don’t expect many supporters there behind you.” This from John Baldoni, author of “Great Communications Secrets of Great Leaders.”
you can read more here at http://www.darwinmag.com/read/060104/baldoni.html

Excellent post Dale and sage advice.

I think this advice is extremely important for students, like me, who plan on serving, or have already served in leadership positions in university-sponsored organizations/activities. Most of us have willingly taken these opportunities in order to gain experience that, we hope, will one day aid us in our post-college journey to obtain jobs with leadership potential. I, for one, am grateful for these opportunities, because they have helped me evaluate my achievements, learn from my mistakes, and come one step closer to defining myself – who I am, where I’ve been and where I want to go.

I agree that humility is one of the most important characteristics of any good leader. Humility is vital, because humble people have the ability to easily access and maintain the respect of those they lead. This is a gift that pretentious leaders lack. It is easier to trust the guidance of someone who, rather than thinking he/she is better or more important than others, considers himself/herself a part of a whole, with a specific purpose to lead. People want team players. They want a leader who would selflessly “take one for the team,” especially if it meant the difference between moving forward and standing still.

I think we are all capable of being great leaders. As Dale suggested, with his five points, all it takes is a game plan and the motivation to make a difference.

Such great advice. Especially for me, a college senior, this is exactly the kind of thing I need and want to hear. Leaders have such a tremendous impact on one’s life and career. Several leaders in my life stressed the importance of my own happiness and finding my own path in life.

The mountain I’ve yet to climb is finding the exact, or even projected, path to who or what I want to be in the future. Don’t get me wrong- I know the kind of person I hope to become, but doing what? I have no idea. As of now, there are several ideas I have in hopes to find happiness and become a great leader in that area. A couple of those ideas include careers in corporate PR and non-profit PR. However, since I lack experience in both fields, I can’t be certain that in those careers will be my happiness.

For me, the path to being a happy and effective leader is a process beginning in finding my happiness and planning my career path. After all, that’s what college is for. College is more than simply your classes and education. It opens your eyes to new things and new people and teaches you how to work successfully with those new people. But mainly it’s becoming the person you want to be in the future. It’s about finding what makes you happy and working toward those things that bring you joy.

I believe when I leave Auburn next year, I will have everything I need to be an effective leader. I just need to remember what I’ve learned at Auburn. In and outside of the classroom.

A very inspiring post, Dale. And it brought to mind a quote I jotted down a while back:

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”

This quote illustrates an important point. You don’t have to have a title or an official position to be a leader. Conversely, a title doesn’t necessarily make someone a leader. Inspiring … motivating … teaching … leading by example. These are what make a great leader.

This is great advice for those of us who are looking forward to being great leaders. Often we are placed under the instruction of leaders and sometimes it is easy for us to judge whether or not we deem them “good” or “bad.” It seems that we rarely look at why we specifically dislike these people as leaders (personality aside), much less how we can use this to shape our leadership skills in the future.

It seems the leaders that are deemed as “good” leaders are those who cared about how comfortable his or her followers are. In the early 90’s Southwest airlines was off to a very rocky start, so to make employees happier they let flight attendants dress comfortably in khakis and polo shirts. The president and chairman of Southwest airlines also sent personal letters to their employees for every marriage, death or promotion. In the 90s Southwest ranked first in fewest customer complaints for years. The leaders of Southwest were genuinely concerned about their employees and this paid off in customer/employee satisfaction and in profit.

I found the fifth tip on finding direction on becoming a good leader very interesting. I like the idea that to become a good leader you need to find a mentor. Even leaders need leaders to look to. Good leaders learn from how their superiors deal with adversity. It’s not something that is just bestowed on everyone.

I think this a very good post, like Dale said, for those in the classroom or out in the real world. I think one should always pause and reflect on themselves and see if they are being good leaders. To me a good leader is an encourager to those around them, leads by example and is someone who commands respect by their works not their words. I also echo Dee in saying the humility is most important to being a good leader. I think these are the things that you find in the great leaders of history and things that we should strive for in our own lives.

Love this part: “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.”
Being president of an on-campus organization, I find people consider me a leader on a daily basis. It amazes me how often I find myself double checking what I say, making sure I’m considered a “good example” to those a part of the organization.
The quote I pasted at the beginning of this comment stood out to me because these are characteristics of a good leader that I need to make sure I’m doing. How do I gues my authority? What am I teaching? How much am I giving to others lives to make a difference?
I appreciate this blog–it is making me double check my actions and make sure I’m being the best leader I can be.

I was inspired by reading your post on being an effective leader. Like so many others I too have had both good and bad leaders in my life. I have experienced the leaders who are self serving and I have been fortunate enough to have those who inspire. You hit the truth on the head when you said:

“……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.”

This rings true to the heart of leadership. Being military I usually don’t have a choice as to what “leader” I follow, as that is decided for me, but I do have a choice as to what type of leader I choose to become. I can either choose to care about my people and assure them that their goals and my goals are one in the same, or I can choose to make them accomplish my personal, self-serving goals which ultimately would case them to despise me! Obviously the compassionate leader is more effective.

I read a quote by Lance Secretan that said:

“Leadership is not so much about technique and methods as it is about opening the heart. Leadership is about inspiration—of oneself and of others. Great leadership is about human experiences, not processes. Leadership is not a formula or a program, it is a human activity that comes from the heart and considers the hearts of others. It is an attitude, not a routine. More than anything else today followers believe they are part of a system, a process that lacks heart. If there is one thing a leader can do to connect with followers at a human, or better still a spiritual level, it is to become engaged with them fully, to share experiences and emotions, and to set aside the processes of leadership we have learned by rote.”

He also had a great book titled “What Great Leaders Do” which anyone interested in leadership might want to check out! It’s always nice to BE inspired, but inspiring others is an art!

I think this is a great post. Especially now when I am just about to graduate and I have had internships, I didn’t realize it, but I am evaluating how my boss takes control or handles a situation and I am watching how they interact with people they work with and others that they have meetings with. They are leaders to me because I am following what they do and learning how to act or react to a situation.

I agree that when being a leader in a classroom setting or in your buisness profession that you have to first evaluate yourself for the position. You have to know who you are and how you work with people. It’s like that old saying “Treat people the way you would like to be treated.” And that goes for everything not just when you are in a leader position.

Whenever I’ve been in a leader position it has just sort of happened that way because of my personality. I like to know what’s going on and participate in anything that I can help with. I think sometimes there are certain personality types that hinder people from becoming leaders in a group setting though because some people are that much more dominant in becoming the leader.

I also a agree that a good leader also has to be happy or content with themselves as well. In my experience, if my manager is having a rough time at home she will come into work and not even smile at anyone. It seems like her emotions take over her whole body and she is a different person. She will yell at people or make people do things that she would not normally make them do if she was having a good day.

I think leadership is very inspirational as well. Sometimes you don’t know who is going to impact your life or what you will learn from them. I think that it works both ways as well because leaders who don’t have a guard up with be able to read their peers more closely and work better with people that they get to know on a personal level.

I believe this was an inspiring post. Being a leader is not an easy task. You have to watch the moves you make and the things you say. Like Dale said,”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…” I can remember being a freshman in my sorority and at that time we had the most controling and self-filled president. All she cared about was her title. She was on a major power trip. It made us freshman rethink about why we joined this sorority. In January, we elected a new president. She made the sorority so much happier. Everyone respected her because she worked toward the common good and happiness of the sorority. She made it fun.

After reading this post and thinking about the questions at the end, it made me really think about where i am today. Am i really happy with myself and my leadership roles? This post will definitely make me take time to think about things before i act or say before my peers. Thanks Dale, for an inspiring and positive post.

I could not agree with this post any better. This advice is something I needed to hear as well as the other students I believe. Being a leader is so important and vital in the workplace. Establishing yourself as a leader is a valuable skill that needs to be carried with you throughout life in and out of the workplace. Starting early is vital in learning how to be an effective leader. For example, I believe starting early in high school is a great way to learn leadership skills. If you are captain of a sports team or president of a club, all of these serve as a good learning experience. Then when you start college one can build off of the leadership learned in high school and that should help to succeed in school and other organizations you might one day lead.

As Dale said, carrying your own load on assignments is important. I know with PR, there are many assignments that require group effort. If you do your part of the job and get it done effectively and timely, then that in itself shows great leadership qualities. The main goal in being a leader is making people happy. If people are not satisfied, they will become less productive and less efficient on the task at hand.

Above all, I believe leadership is the key to success. It has to be. Without leadership, tasks would never get done and their would always been unhappy people. Being happy is reflective and your co-workers and fellow students will feel the effects of your happiness. I guess if everyone did that, leadership would be flowing throughout the workplace, communities and schools.

I totally agree with this post, and I believe that it will have an impact on those who read it, especially college students. Taking on the role as a leader, learning about leadership positions and having to work with a variety of leaders, is something that we will all eventually have to experience. No one likes to work under controlling, power-hungry leaders, who don’t carry their own load, in school or during your career. This post had some great points on how to be an effective leader that people will respect.

I have had jobs in high school, college and an internship where each leader was different. Who you work with, and mainly who you work under, can completely change your attitude about a job. During my internship this summer I saw what it was like to have a boss who interacted with employees, sincerely cared about the work they were doing, was open to questions, people were comfortable around her and she made work fun. I studied the way she talked to clients and employees and learned more about the way I want to be when I graduate and get a job. I agree that you should be confident in yourself and your abilities to be a good leader, and that is part of her success as a boss.

Having a leader who inspires you is such an important part of the workplace. If you are unmotivated, you will probably be unproductive. This post made me question if I am a good leader. I thought about the points Dale makes at the end, and applied them to my life. We are always going to be put in the hands of leaders. Public relations can be based on group effort, and you may be forced to take on the role as a leader at some point. Reading this post and thinking about how to improve yourself and your leadership skills could prepare you for the future. And I believe I always have room for improvement!

Two years ago, I served as Village Leader at YMCA Camp Ralph S. Mason. The role of Village Leader met that I was responsible for overseeing 15 counselors, 45 campers and 30 horses. Before taking on the position, I had attended the camp as a camper for seven years and worked there for three so, I felt comfortable in my abilities for the job.

Little did I know, that was the hardest job I have had in my life. Serving as a leader, every action or emotion that you have is critiqued. One must balance the need for respect and admiration with friendship from your subordinates.

As Village Leader, many of my friends from the years past became my subordinates. I found it hard to maintain the same level of friendship while also serving as a boss.

The entire summer, I struggled. I learned that being a leader is tougher then it looks. It takes dedication, charisma, self-confidence and a high work ethic. I learned all these things through my struggle. I now respect those whom have balanced perfectly friendship and respect. I am also more critical of those who do not do it well.

Talking about being a leader is often a lot easier then seeing it in action. I firmly believe that great leaders are few and far between. Thinking about my own past bosses, I can name a lot more who have had control issues then I can name that I truly respected. So, yes I believe it is important to develop your own leadership skills but, I also know that it is not an easy task.

As college students, some of us seniors, we need the kind of leadership that you have written about and that you are providing in your posts. Robert and all of the blog contributors provide this for many of us. However, we must find other mentors in our future professional environments to continue in our growth as PR practitioners.

True leaders that can provide inspiration and drive are our most valuable assets. We never know what we are capable of until we actually do it. Many of us may want to do these things and not even know they exsist. Obviously, I am still very much in the learning phase.

Leadership provides knowledge and insight into our every day tasks. It makes us look at things differently and handle things more productively. We cannot learn from someone who is insecure and on a power trip. But, we can learn from someone who has the ability to see the whole picture and lead toward the common goal.

Thanks for reminding us that no matter what the situation, we must slow down and focus on the big picture in order to succeed. Also, that we cannot accomplish great things without the help of others.

I think that from our own life experiences we all would agree that the differences between good and bad leaders are the same differences that set apart successful and unsuccessful people.

In management classes that I’ve taken for my business minor, I learned that top managers in a company tend to have more conceptual skills while workers of lower status have more technical skills. This goes to show that if your personal goal is to have an executive position, then conceptual skills, such as experience and good communication, is key in that role.

I feel that the problem with unsuccessful leadership is that many people have an askewed view of what leadership is, and that they have difficulty distinguishing what a leader is and does. Many mistakenly think that a leader is all-powerful and always in control. However, a leader’s role is to promote success in a group completing a group task. This might include the leader dispersing the power to others or giving control to others to better serve the group’s interest and to better accomplish the ultimate goal.

I absolutely agree that the best time to start being a good leader is now. I also agree that each one of us should always have a goal to maintain a successful path in life.

This is great advice…but something is missing. Aristotle also said that happiness depends on ourselves.

We allow ourselves to be unhappy. A good leader calls for us to put away individual problems for that moment, and work togeather. Your reaction to a situation or unpleasant person is entirely up to you…either wallow is it or shake it off and be happy. To me, the sign of a good leader is the ability to keep moving no matter what life puts in your way. Some are better at this, I would like to improve. I admire leaders who can be proactive is supplying happiness, and strive to do my best for them and for myself.

Everyone has a different type of happiness that they are searching for, and thy go through those other goals not only to be happy, but to find and define themselves. What makes you happy at 20 is different than bliss at 25. I know that at 20, happiness was balancing my classes and social life so I don’t have to disappoint my parents with bad grades. With a vague idea of what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, I was happy to get my core classes out of the way. At 25, I am happy with the person I am. I have a more concise purpose to my work…but if all I ever am is Erin, than that’s ok too.

I have been influenced by good leaders-teachers, family members, employers. These people reinforced the fact that my work is a reflection of myself, no matter what that work may be. So I will take Dale Wolf’s reccomendations, but remeber to look at myself if I am unhappy.

I think this is a great post especially now when we all have a million group projects and most of us are getting ready to go out in the real world in the next year or so. It seems lately we have group projects in almost every class. In each group you run across different types of people that work differently in groups.

In high school I was the type of person that would rather do everything myself so I knew it was done right. That wasn’t such a big deal in high school because projects were small and not really a big deal. Then I came to college and I learned really quickly that I can’t do everything. The project also turns out better when you have other people’s thoughts and ideas and you put them all together. I agree with you that it is definitely not fun to have like you called a “control freak� in your group.

I am now the type of person who will be a leader if the group needs one but I also know how to sit back and follow someone’s lead if they take the lead. I think a lot of times there are too many chiefs and not enough Indians. However, after reading your post I am going to think even more about my role in group projects.

Thank you for this post. I think a lot of people, including me, will think about your five points and be a better leader or even try to become a leader next time were are working in groups.

I am a college senior with less than a year left until graduation. This post has made me really think about my future. I don’t really know what I want to do after I am done with school, but I am lucky to have met many people I look up to and admire who are willing to point me in the right direction.

Reading this made me think of a quote I once read, “Delegating work works, provided the one delegating works, too.” Nothing can be worse than a leader who expects all the work to be done by someone else. I have worked at two places since I was 16, one restaurant in Nashville and one in Auburn. The two owners were so completely different.

My boss in Nashville barely ever communicated to us face to face, rather just sent memos. Most people were afraid to talk to him, so he only gained our respect through fear. I agree that no one wants to follow arrogance, this man believed that he was superior to us, so the decisions he made were the best. He was never even around enough to know what was really good for the restaurant.

On the other hand, my boss in Auburn is always around and keeps a constant communication flow between him, other managers, and employees. We have weekly meetings, and I never feel inferior to him, but I respect him as a leader. He is the first one to do the “dirty work” that is required. I think one of the most important qualities of a good leader is whether or not they are willing to do the work they expect other people to do.

My favorite part is also: “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.”

I have been in leadership positions here at Auburn, and I would like to think that I have been prepared to become a successful and positive leader in the “real” world as soon as I graduate. It is so important to remember that being a leader requires the help of other people and working together.