How many of you reading this has ever been completely frustrated at work because things just are not happening the way they should be? There are people wandering around and talking and nothing seems to get accomplished. You hustle and work hard and try to carry your share of the load, yet, at the end of the day you feel your goals remain just that, goals. Perhaps your goal depends on someone else reaching his or her goal and that just isn’t happening. The reality is that nothing is going to change until someone changes it, until someone stands up and takes the responsibility of leadership.

Unfortunately, many people are content to stand by and listen for orders. They have a “follow the leader” attitude. However, there are also those few people who desire to make things happen, to be the head and not the tail. For these people leadership may suit them very well. If you want to see things happen, if your desire is to feel accomplished, if you believe there is something more than the status quo, maybe you are one of those few that were destined for leadership.

There is a saying that great leaders are made not born.  Now, while it is true that some folks are born with natural talents and abilities, without practice, without motivation or enthusiasm, and most importantly, without experience, there is no leadership development.

It is also important for us to keep in mind that true leaders are continually striving to improve. They are always studying and working to fine tune their leadership skills, their knowledge and their abilities.  This requires a strong commitment not only to themselves but also to those that are working with t

 Let’s define leadership. To be a leader, a person must be able to influence others to accomplish a goal. A leader contributes to the organization and cohesion of a group.  Many people believe that leadership is about power, nothing could be further from the truth.  Leadership is not about harassing others or trying to drive them with fear tactics, it is about encouraging others toward a common goal.  It is putting everyone on the same page, helping them to see the big picture, and helping them to understand that their contribution, even if small, is important to everyone’s success.  Being a leader is not being a boss.

Obviously, to be a leader, you must be able to get people to follow you.  How do you accomplish this?  First, you must have a clear vision of the goals to be accomplished.  You must be ready with answers to the questions of your team or know where to find the answers quickly. Each person has a special skill or ability, know who to talk to about different issues that may arise. This helps to establish the fact that you know what you are doing and have a strong sense of purpose.  People follow others when they see a clear sense of purpose, they will only follow you if they see that you know where you are going.  Remember the bumper sticker that said, “Don’t follow me, I am lost too!”  This applies to leadership as well.  If you seem lost or unclear on where you are heading, people will not follow you.

Being a leader is not about making other people do things.  It is about who you are, what you know, and most importantly what you do.  You should be a reflection of what your team must be to succeed. 

Two vital ingredients to leadership are the trust and confidence that your team members have in you and your ability to make good judgments.  If they trust you they will trust your decisions and will go through hell and high water to reach the goals of the group.

Besides your sense of purpose and clear vision of the goals at hand, trust and confidence are gained through the strength of relationships with your team members. The way you deal with your teammates will determine the nature of the relationships built with them. Obviously, the stronger the relationships, the stronger the team will be.

One powerful method for building strong relationships within your group is to recognize and take advantage of the skills and talents of your team members.  This helps the individual to feel that they are an important element in reaching established goals.

Remember, becoming a leader takes time and work to develop the necessary skills.  Also, always keep in mind leadership is not about just you.  It is about you and the people around you.