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The Intent and Purpose of Leadership
There are many ways in which people have defined leadership across time and age. I have been privileged to come across a few of those definitions. Amazingly, all the ones I have come across in my study about leadership are insanely good. However, the definition that resonates with me the most was the one given by John Maxwell, who defines leadership as “Influence, nothing more, nothing less!” Maxwell also says, “Everything rises and falls on leadership!” I couldn’t agree less with him because, whichever way you look at leadership, it is simply about influencing, inspiring, and motivating people to do things they would not think of doing on their own. Leadership is taking people from a state of inactivity to a place of extraordinary accomplishment. When you can genuinely mobilize people to get things done without force or coercion, you become enlisted in this type of ingenious leadership. But when you fail as a leader to inspire people to get things done, it reveals a deep flaw in your leadership ability.
There have been many questions about those who aspire to become leaders. The problem is not always with leadership aspiration. Some people have thought it is wrong to aspire to become a leader. No! There is nothing wrong with wanting to be a leader. What you should be concerned about is why you want to become a leader. This is a question that reveals your leadership motive, intent, and purpose. Your motive is very important if you hope to become a leader that society would be proud of and to celebrate.
The Facade of Virtue
In today's society, it's not uncommon to encounter individuals who present themselves as paragons of virtue, justice, and equity. However, beneath the surface, their actions and behaviors often reveal a different story.The consequences of hypocrisy, eye-service, and pretense can be far-reaching and damaging. Anyone who engages in these behaviors risks losing the trust and respect of others, which in turn damages their reputation and compromises their integrity. Moreover, these behaviors can also lead to feelings of guilt, shame, and anxiety, which can negatively impact mental and emotional well-being.
Empathy: The Core of Modern Leadership
Leadership as an organizational management nuance has been debated among leadership experts as an art or a science. Leadership as an art is built on relationships and excellent communication skills that are inherent in a leader. It is the ability to apply leadership principles in a flexible, intuitive, and creative manner that reflects your make-up as an individual. Leadership as a science is based on the fact that there are methodologies, systemic approaches, processes, and models to follow for leadership performance. Regardless of the side of the divide that you belong to, it is important to know that leadership is a combination of both science and art. You cannot have the science of it without its artistic approach. That is why leading with empathy demonstrates the overlap that exists between the science of leadership and its art.Sometimes, people just need to be heard, not requiring their problem to be fixed. Accommodating their feelings and being present with them is often more powerful than giving them advice on how to fix their problems. Being with people is more important than working for people. Working for people is often too transactional, creating a parallel of a superhero and a victim, while being with them is the offering of our presence to them in their most difficult time.
