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They are people who lived in different times, who worked in different fields and, nevertheless, they will be remembered forever. With their work, with their job, with their message, they inspired others, achieved significant changes for humanity and, best of all, they became a model worthy of imitation. Great, right? It’s what we all dream of.
Most of them also held important positions in which they were invested with power. And that, perhaps, is the reason why we generally assume that a leader is someone who has authority. The CEO of a company, the coach of a sports team, the president of a country, the head of a political group or the mayor of a city.
The truth is that some of them can become leaders, but they are not so by virtue of their position or investiture. This, although it may not seem so, is an important detail. Why? Because it demolishes the theory that leadership is tied to a position, authority or position, beyond the fact that people or the media insist on calling them leaders.
Now, then, what is a leader? We could define it as the person who has developed a series of skills that allow him to exert influence over others, guide them and lead them to the achievement of a common goal. As you can see, it is a broad definition that contains a powerful message: anyone can be a leader.
On the other hand, a question that many ask themselves: is a leader born or made? All human beings, absolutely all, are born with what it takes to be leaders. The point is that each one has different characteristics, talents that others don’t have or receive stimuli from their environment that help them achieve their goals.
For example, from the list mentioned above, Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama were presidents of the United States. However, they led this beautiful country in different times and under very different circumstances. These are details that enrich and give color to their particular history, while their leadership capacity identifies them.
In other words, any person is born with the necessary ingredients to be a leader, but they must develop the necessary skills and put them into practice. Because, and this is something that many do not recognize, a leader is not a perfect person. Nobody is! They are human beings who are a couple of steps above the rest because they know what they are doing.
It is not that if you read a book, or ten, you are already a leader: it does not work like that. Nor is it that one day you wake up and say “I’m going to be a leader” and you automatically become one. Yes, it is a theoretical learning process (because there is a lot of literature on the subject, which has been researched to the point of exhaustion) but also practical: defining your message, your strategy, your objective, your method.
In this sense, the leader is made. Of course, based on the qualities and strengths that life has given them and by working to make up for the shortcomings and minimize the weaknesses. In addition, they are inspired by the example of other leaders with whom they identify, and adapt to their personality those elements or virtues that can contribute to being a leader with greater impact.
The leader is not self imposing, nor self proclaimed: they are designated by others, they are chosen by those who feel identified with their message and inspired by their example. Likewise, one does not become a leader overnight: it is a learning and practice process that, needless to say, never ends. Because a leader, above all, is an eternal learner.
Psychologist Daniel Goleman, the stellar author of several books such as Emotional Intelligence, Leadership, Social Intelligence or Destructive Emotions, establishes six types of leadership. Do you know what they are? Coercive or authoritarian, democratic, affiliative, helmsman, visionary or guiding and coach. Important: they are not exclusive categories, but complementary.
What does that mean? That a person can bring together characteristics of one or more types of leadership. It is like putting together a puzzle, only you take pieces from different models. Of course, there is always a predominant type, the most notable, the one that that person will identify with, while the others will be secondary. Let’s see:
1.- Coercive or authoritarian leadership. It is based on discipline. Example? The army. That value takes precedence over any other and, therefore, the instructions given are short, precise and specific. It uses the reward/punishment model based on the actions and achievements obtained. They are generally leaders who inspire little respect and a lot of fear.
2.- Democratic leadership. The premise is simple: decisions are made by mutual agreement between those involved. It is, in a way, the flip side of authoritarian leadership. It is characteristic of multidisciplinary groups and useful to the extent that reaching agreements does not mean giving up values that are important.
3.- Affiliative leadership. It is based on the creation of affiliative and/or affective ties between the members of the group or community. An example? A coach, a priest or pastor, the coach of a sports team. The primary objective of this type of leadership is to create a healthy environment, a pleasant environment. The keys? The sense of belonging and loyalty.
4.- Visionary or guiding leadership. Do you remember Mandela, Gandhi, Mother Teresa of Calcutta or Malala? They belong to this category. They have a powerful message and they know how to transmit it, especially through inspiration and example. This is perhaps the most sought-after type of leadership in the workplace today: the positive leader.
5.- Coach leadership. Without a doubt, the one that has evolved and grown the most in recent decades. It is based on helping others discover, enhance and take advantage of their strengths, virtues and possibilities. It also involves recognizing difficulties and shortcomings, which, if not worked on, can become an obstacle in the development process of the person or group.
6.- Helmsman leadership. We could also call it inspirational, because its best weapon is example. It is the captain of the ship who has no problem taking an oar and contributing to the achievement of the objective. The problem with this type of leadership is that very demanding objectives can be set in pursuit of excellence, so the connection is lost.
Do you identify with any in particular? With more than one? The condition of leader, perhaps you have already noticed, is closely related to self-knowledge. A person who does not have full knowledge of himself and control of his actions and emotions cannot be a leader. That is why we can all be leaders, but not all of us are leaders.
This is one of the most studied and widely disseminated topics related to human behavior in history, so there are multiple visions and positions. However, I will share with you what theory and practice have taught me:
1.- Authenticity. From this quality comes the ability to inspire others. No one wants to follow an impostor, so don’t make the mistake of trying to be “like someone else.” Being unique is the greatest power that life has given you: take advantage of it. And don’t forget: you don’t have to be perfect, so don’t set expectations that become obstacles along the way.
2.- Knowledge. We already know that all human beings are born with the necessary ingredients to be leaders. However, by themselves, those factors will not be enough for you. It is necessary to complement them with the knowledge that allows you to enhance your gifts and talents, develop skills, transmit your message and inspire other people
3.- Commitment. Being a leader is an opportunity that life gives you, a privilege. And you can only honor it if you are truly committed to that purpose in life, to that mission that was entrusted to you. Likewise, empathy and the ability to work as a team are required. And, of course, the key to success: the leader teaches by example
4.- Active listening. Leaders who make a positive impact on the lives of others are not those who talk the most, but those who know how to listen and then process that information and return it to their group or community enriched. Listening attentively is also a powerful sign of respect that breaks down barriers. And something else: the more you listen, the more you learn
5.- Collaboration. No one, absolutely no one, is a leader without a group or community that identifies with their principles and values, that shares their purpose in life. Nor is it expected that the leader knows everything, masters all the subjects, has all the answers. A good leader is one who is a few steps ahead of the rest and knows how to guide them
6.- Generous. If life granted you the privilege of learning, of traveling, of acquiring vast knowledge, it was so that you could share it with others. If you keep it only for yourself, it will be lost, it will have no value. Generosity is one of the most appreciated values of the leader because it is closely related to another quality that is not abundant: humility
7.- Passionate. Being a leader is a lifestyle, a vision of life. It is not a job or a trade, but a privilege. Passion is a powerful tool that allows you to spread it to others, to ensure that the message you transmit is invested with transformative power. Passion also gives you the possibility of establishing close and solid emotional ties
8.- Teacher. Mainly, through example, the coherence of your actions, that these do not contradict your preaching. A clear example of this was Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who relied on the wisdom of life, humility, simplicity and a vocation for service and managed to positively impact the lives of thousands of people in the world
9.- Trustworthy. It seems obvious, but it is not. One of the sine qua non conditions for being a leader is to have the ability to establish ties through trust and credibility. Trust that arises from respect, empathy, authenticity and the genuine desire to help without receiving anything in return. Remember: you can only inspire others if you are a trustworthy leader
10.- Human. Of course. That means being empathetic, sensitive to the needs of others, their shortcomings and fears. A human leader is one who is capable of being genuinely moved by the pain of the weak and, likewise, of rejoicing in the triumphs of others, including his detractors. The reward for the human leader is eternity
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