Leaders are powerful, impressive and exciting.  What determines a leader?  Everyone wants to  be around or have a connection to a leader.  However, the idea of who and what constitutes a leader are diverse.  By definition a leader is someone with leadership qualities or characteristics.  Leadership qualities include providing guidance, direction, control, management, organization and supervision.  Leaders also have influence, dominion and power.  Those are heavy words to associate with regular everyday individuals, at least to me they are.   Some people are considered leaders by default, meaning due to their position in life, financial status or social status and that’ sad.  Famous athletes not even legal adults are thrust into leadership roles, not just for their jobs but even in the community.  Known drug dealers are considered leaders because of their financial status alone, even business owners who are and can be keen in making money are considered as leaders because of financial status and employees.

Real leadership goes beyond the person holding a title.  Leadership is about serving first and foremost.  Whether you are a parent, the owner of a fortune 500 company, a Commanding Officer in the Armed Forces, a supervisor, entrepreneur, a Senator or Congressman, the deacon in the church or even the Pastor of the congregation; the real role of leadership is servant hood.

As leaders, influence is a vital part of the role.  People depend, rely and even come to trust leaders.  Leaders often are given more information and access than they require or desire but due to the influence one has over people, the more people tend to give or offer that leader.  That’s why it essential that every leader has balance.  Balance in the roles he or she plays, balance in the expectations one is willing to meet or allow to be thrust on him or her, balance in the lines of personal and professional and balance for the leader in how often he or she is on duty (no one can be 100% 24/7 so realistic goals must be set and kept).  A few differences that separate the wanna be leaders from the leaders:

• Real Leaders don’t know everything nor do they pretend – Everyone likes to be knowledgeable, however to try and know everything is overkill and ridiculous.  A person would spend all his or her time reading, studying and never accomplish anything!  Real leaders know direction, the vision of where the business, organization, church, job, project, household is moving and they lay out the vision.  Specifics are left to the team.  Together everyone hits the marks on time and move in the same direction.
• Real Leaders build not destroy- It takes all kinds.  For every person, there is his or her polar opposite, the one who thinks, acts, and does EVERYTHING opposite or different than they would do it.  It doesn’t make either wrong it makes them opposite.  A real leader can view the good and find the potential in any employee and pull it out of them for the making of a great diverse team.  Bosses, bullies, managers usually destroy, ridicule and belittle.
• Real Leaders can clone other leaders, members- While it is important for a leader to serve, it is equally if not more important for the leader to LEAD! You can’t lead the team if you are too busy working.  A good leader can motivate, inspire and guide the team into accomplishing the big picture goals of the company, organization, church, job, project or task.  While he or she doesn’t mind serving, they will never be out of place doing something that a team member should be doing.
• Real Leaders are flawed – Leaders hold power and powerful positions, naturally people sometimes look at them as being flawless.  Unfortunately, the normal thought process tells people for someone to make it, to reach goals and heights not thought of the assumption is that they did it not making mistakes.  Nothing could be further from the truth and a good leader learns how to show his or her flaws without losing the respect as being a leader.   It’s a simple as saying, “I apologize” when shown to be incorrect, it’s giving mercy when one mistakes, focusing on corrective behavior rather than dogmatic discipline.
• Real Leaders have the power, no need to flaunt it – I’ve always said and believed that a leader who knows and understands their power doesn’t have to threaten, intimidate or harass his or her people.  From jobs to the church and even in your home; if one feels the need to say who or she is, then you should wonder who they are trying to convince others or them?  A real leader knows the power and influence within his or her grasp and uses it sparingly.  A leader who misuses their power doesn’t get away with it, he or she always has to report to someone else; clients, laity, board of directors and most importantly his or herself when they lay down at night.  Authority is meant to keep order not to instill fear.

Titles do not make leaders, leaders will lead no matter where they are or where you place them, however it is wise to make sure that real leaders are placed in the correct role.  In Corporate America, we know this is not always the case, but as a leader, be you, be strong, be wise and learn, your title will eventually meet your skills.

Kimberly Davis, often underestimated never for long!