7 things about leadership that most people don’t know*

*Including why it’s like karate

When it comes to leadership, most people focus on the activities

that good leaders must accomplish or the leadership attributes

they should possess or develop.

Here are 7 things that leaders need to

understand about themselves that are just

as important.

It is the doing, not the knowing that really counts

It’s important for a leader to have a coherent strategy

but the key to success is execution. Brilliant execution

can rescue a poor strategy but it doesn’t matter how

good the strategy is if the execution is lousy.

1

Leadership is just like karate

You never reach the point of knowing all there is to know.

It is a lifelong journey of discovery and rediscovery

so never content yourself with the present.

2

Something to think about when you do that next assessment...

You will impact other people’s lives in a profound way3

Stay healthy

Mastery of your own health and wellbeing is a prerequisite for

leading with resilience when the going gets tough.

Leadership is not just intellectual, emotional and attitudinal,

it’s also physical!

4

Treat relationships like bank accounts

If you take out more than you put in you will quickly get

into trouble. As with money, so with relationships

– it pays to stay in credit.

5

Acts of kindness make you memorable

It is often simple and spontaneous acts of kindness that

make a leader particularly memorable –perhaps because

they are unexpected.

6

Everyone is equally a member of the team, including the leader

Treat your fellow team members with equal respect and

consideration to show you really are all in it together. Small

gestures, such as getting the morning brews, doing the butty

run, or tidying up the communal kitchen, are powerful ways

to reaffirm your membership status.

7

The first step in personal development is self-awareness

– knowing what you need to reinforce and what to work on.

The second step is to take responsibility

for doing something about it.

This is especially important, as we never see ourselves as others see us.

TLP can provide you with that extra perspective, one that will

develop your self-awareness and kick-start improvement

so why not get in touch and find out how?

Diane Johnson

Bruce Hamilton