I had to write a paper about “How to be a leader?”

We all have a very good representation of how it has to be. Don’t we?
But when it comes to write it down, it starts to be a bit more tricky. Talking to my fellows MBA colleagues I found out that a common pattern is that one of our first boss usually stands out of the others. And not many have a long track record of “very good leader” in their life.

In the end, I came out with this:

Pretty standard, isn’t it?
I slowly got convinced that the most important factor is maybe the alignment feature: “Do what you say and say what you do”.
And of course if what you say is innovative, original or can change the world, then you will be better off.
At the same time, if the objective (what you say!) is great and you have the appropriate style to reach it (what and how you do). Then it is bingo.

People like what you believe, not what you are. Although, I like this sentence, all this is very much linked!

Thanks God, for once, we did not have, during the MBA, a speech about how good was Steve Jobs or Nelson Mandela! At the same time, the intermediate assignment was clear to a point that stated:

“Gang Leaders also provide shared and beneficial results, so please be astute in observing results that have lasting, positive benefit for those involved and others.”

or

“Please do not provide quotes and citations from management/leadership gurus. I am asking you to think for yourself.”

“Think for yourself?” Damn! And “avoid having a gang leader as a model!”. Right, I can do that!

Where I sometimes loose it is the fact that more and more people have better and stronger education, but yet it seems that the world is not advancing at the same pace to a “mess-free” type of business world. Or am I missing something?

We lose bits and pieces on the way, don’t we? How comes? No short answer. (Any dark force I heard about? 🙂 )

Therefore, perhaps, the first attribute of a leader is to have a dream… that can be realized, everybody can be a leader and a manager (yes, and please stop to oppose management and leadership, they are complementary!), but everybody cannot make history with a big “H”. It is simply a matter of momentum.
And don’t get me wrong: It is not a lack of ambition, it simply the will to achieve the day to day history!