3 Unexpected Discoveries about Leadership From My Social Entrepreneurial Journey
We’ve all been in teams where leaders are less stellar than what we expect them to be.
Perhaps it was a rude boss chasing you for your deliverables. Or perhaps it was a scatterbrain who couldn’t quite seem to have much direction. Either way, the result isn’t just an unmotivated team that underperforms, but perhaps even negative externalities created like tension within the team or the organisation. Dragged out over time, weak leadership can kill an organisation.
This is not to say that leaders ought to be perfect, making no mistakes at all. Conversely, you should learn from failure by making many mistakes, and be kind to yourself when you fail. Treating others right starts from knowing how to treat yourself right. At the end of the day, it all boils down to the golden rule:
“Do to others what you would have them to do you”
My previous articles have explored the types of values and mindsets of great social entrepreneurs. (To view them, click here for why values are important, and here for 3 powerful mindsets every social entrepreneur should have). This article attempts to explore the soft-skill of leadership based on my social entrepreneurial journey.
Let’s jump right into it.
1. Leadership is not about managing people. Authentic Leadership is a result of self-awareness.
In the corporate world, leadership is often mistaken as a title. Depending on an organisation’s size, the leadership would often refer to those in managerial positions and above. Yet, a good manager may manage projects, work, or even people well, but may not necessarily lead well. Managers are recognised for their ability to produce results. This unfortunately often comes at the expense of their team where working overtime is not uncommon. Eventually, people lose motivation and leave.
On the contrary, leadership is influence. Having influence over others often goes beyond mere titles. It involves persuasion and earning your team’s respect, so that they look up to you. It also means having your team feel comfortable enough with you to open up about their life outside of work. Influence means seeing each member of your team as a unique individual with goals, desires, and dreams. A leader’s job is to build genuine connection with others, thereby influencing them. Influence without genuine care and connection is manipulation, and people can smell that from far away.
Influence starts with connection, and connection needs to be authentic. Authenticity starts with self-awareness. Who are you? What values do you represent? Why do you do what you do?
Previously in this article I discussed that answering the question of “Who Are You” can be as straightforward as deciding and then imagining yourself into being. If we’re not intentional about creating our sense of Self, then our behaviour will always be agenda-based. Agenda-based motivation causes distance in relationships, simply because you were not self-aware enough.
Have you ever wondered why you’re drawn to certain people? They seem so charismatic, confident, natural — all fruits of self-awareness. They know who they are and hence pay less attention to the judgement/labels of others. This allows them to be authentic and hence better able to connect to others.
Self-awareness starts with knowing your values as they guide how you behave and act. I’ve penned my thoughts here about how values are more important than a business model. Alongside personal values are knowing your strengths and weaknesses, as well as having an objective understanding of how others (or your team) view you.
Ultimately, crafting your sense of Self needs to be intentional in order for you to connect with others authentically. This is the first step in Authentic Leadership
2. Leadership is about serving others.
“Who is greater — the one at the table, or the one who serves?”
Oftentimes we mistakenly think of leaders being the one at the table, giving orders while the team dutifully does what they’re told. Instead, a servant leader should be the one serving the team, doing everything in his/her power to support and ensure their team is empowered to make good decisions.
Unlike a traditional leader concerned with accumulating power and titles, servant leaders share power and puts the needs of others first. They are concerned about the mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being of their team, and as such, strive to continuously nurture others selflessly.
Being a servant leader does not mean you are weak. On the contrary, there is strength in humility, meekness, and self-control. A servant leader does not have to “win” every power struggle by displaying supremacy, but has to be firm; their opinion or decision deeply rooted in values.
By being a servant leader, you gain the respect of others over time. Take note however, that the previous point on self-awareness is crucial. Without a strong intentional sense of Self, your behaviours may be inconsistent, and over time, others may regard you with a sense of mistrust. Trust takes years to build but seconds to break.
3. You are your company’s greatest Asset and Liability.
Leaders are not perfect.
We all have strengths and weaknesses and leadership magnifies them. And that’s the beauty of working in a team — strengths are magnified, and weaknesses can be leveraged through others’ strengths!
Successful leaders therefore surround themselves with a great team. Each person on the team complements and looks out for each others’ weaknesses.
I’m a creative and hands-on person. That’s why Bamboo Builders has become known for its innovative and impactful programs. However, I’m also terrible at details and processes. That’s why I’m thankful to have Shermin, our Operations & People Relations Director who has been serving alongside me for close to 4 years. She has done a wonderful job in ensuring the company’s processes work like clockwork. She’s great with people too, and has thus been a core builder of the community which we value.
In conclusion,
