Before I get into this, I must preface everything that I say with I’m not some leadership guru or expert. However, I’ve had leadership roles professionally and, of course, in my romantic relationship.
Now let’s jump right into the definitions, shall we?
Leaders can rule from the front
We all understand this unequivocally and most of us display this with the people we have to be accountable for whether it’s in your career or with family and friends.
When you’re leading from the front, what comes with that is direct scrutiny and/or line of fire treatment because you’re the “face” of whatever’s going on.
In this position, you must remain virtually impervious to negative AND positive feedback.
Not everyone can handle being the front runner of something; the sacrificial lamb in other words. As you see in society today, many people want to be known and seen as “the boss”, “CEO” and/or “founder” but fail to truly understand what it means when you’re trailblazing an idea, invention or continuing to improve the corporate structure of a company.
The beauty of it is that you’re the final person to call the shots and, for many of you, there’s a particular thrill you derive from doing this.
Leaders can rule from the side
Hey Coach, what’s the next step?
This is another form of leadership. Although not as desirable, you’re still calling shots but operating from a different state of presence.
You’re right next to the person or people and guiding them every step of the way, giving them a sense of purpose to continue and complete their task(s).
Most people would see this form of leadership as micromanaging, but it’s the complete opposite. Because you believe in the person or people that you’re coaching, you get right next to them in the trenches and help them solve problems.
There’s nothing wrong, as a leader, with rubbing shoulders with the people you’re accountable for from time to time. It’s very necessary.
Leaders can rule from the back
I’m ready for the pushback on this perspective.
Yes, you can run things from behind the scenes as much as you would from being in front.
There may be a SME within your network that could tackle a certain problem where you wouldn’t be able to and because you choose to put them in the forefront, this exemplifies your capability of delegating responsibilities to the right people.
This again doesn’t mean that your “position” is diminished, but you’re actually going to be more respected and trusted as a leader because the people around you see that you’re a fallible person.
You don’t have all the answers nor do you perform every task to its highest degree. So if there’s someone who can outperform you in a certain area and they’re very much available to you, you would be a foolish leader to not utilize them.
Let’s continue growing my fellow leaders .
Thank you for reading and I hope you’ll continue to join me in my journey as a budding tech professional and Founder of Cigar Chef LLC. STICKS UP!!!
