What is Leadership?
According to Chris Brady and Orrin Woodward, the authors of Launching
a Leadership Revolution, leadership is “the influence of others in a
productive, vision-driven direction and is done through the example,
conviction, and character of the leader.”
They believe that a leader empowers, helps others to fix problems and
serves others. The book is educational. It teaches the reader how to master the
skills needed to become a true leader.
I follow the homeschooling philosophy found in A Thomas
Jefferson Education called Leadership Education. When I try to explain to people what the
philosophy is or how we teach and learn in our home, I struggle to make it come
out right. I say that it builds leaders,
that it teaches how to think instead of what to think, that it uses classics
instead of text books and brings us face to face with great people from
history. I get a few confused looks, but
people will mostly let me do what I want to do.
Even though I have faith in the philosophy and am following the keys, I
question my understanding of how to train a leader. I also wonder if I am capable of being a true leader. This book, though, has given me additional
insight on what a leader is and does and aligns with what I already know. and believe.
Mr.’s Brady and Woodward teach that there are steps to
becoming a leader and even certain skills that must be learned before one can
climb those steps. A person must be
hungry (be motivated), be hone-able (teachable and changeable) and be
honorable.
They then introduce the Cycle of Achievement—the importance
of having a vision, setting goals, making a game plan, working to achieve goals
and seeking counsel. This is kind of like
having a mission, then making goals to fulfill that mission and using a mentor
to help and guide.
After learning these foundational qualities, a leader is
ready to climb the steps. The authors introduce 5 levels of
influence(the steps to becoming a leader)—learning, performing, leading, developing leaders, and developing
developers of leaders. They say that a leader never leaves the skills of the previous step as they move to the next--"a leader picks up new abilities while accumulating and expanding his or her influence." I love the idea
that a leader should always be learning and that a job of a leader is to train
more leaders.
I have many areas where I am a leader (some by choice and
some by calling), and I am at different steps in each area. As I read I saw areas where I could improve
and become a better leader. For example, I am a reader and am constantly learning, but I think an area where I need work is performing. I want the things I learn to lead to action. "Proper thinking is the foundation of proper actions, and proper actions are what give birth to performance." The book is filled with historical examples of leaders who went through the steps.
A leader's visions outlive them. They do things that change the world. I've learned that the best way to change the world is start with yourself. Then help those around you change. I am changing the world--one person at a time.
