Then 2022 happened. As the world’s powerful leaders subsequently faced off and the threat of global economic damage rose, Ukraine’s funny man proved how capable and serious he could be. Zelenskyy not only faced Russian President Vladimir Putin and refused to leave Ukraine but also further unified and inspired his country. His story shows anyone can step up and be a leader. But rising to the occasion, as he did, requires ditching the lies many of us have been told about what leadership means and takes.
1. Leaders Are Born, Not Made
This myth mainly comes from the trait theory of leadership, which asserts that having certain characteristics is linked to being a successful leader. Also known as the Great Man theory, it still inspires dozens of articles and movies about what skills, behaviors or personalities are common in the most famous leaders. It gained steam largely because researchers noticed many aristocratic families seemed to have a higher number of leaders compared to non-aristocratic families. Those researchers thought this meant leadership was some kind of divine or hereditary gift, but they didn’t evaluate whether those leaders in power were actually effective.
I believe we all have the ability to lead. It’s just a matter of choosing to nurture that ability with the internal and external tools we’ve got. If you’re passionate about feeding the homeless and you volunteer at a shelter, that’s leadership that fits you. If you’re great at conflict resolution and you stop a fight, that’s leadership, too. To be a leader, accept that you can take action using whichever skills are unique to you. Then follow through.
2. Leadership Is About Work and Being a Manager
People tend to associate leadership with specific types of activities, such as presenting information, calling meetings, or doing analyses to reduce inefficiency. But lots of different jobs can make a difference. It all depends on which specific problem you’re trying to solve.
Take Mother Teresa. She had zero organizational charts. She didn’t traditionally “manage” anything. What she did do was try to help each person in front of her, one at a time. By giving selflessly to individual after individual, she poured out one of the biggest doses of influence the world has seen.
When you look at Mother Teresa’s life and compare it to the lives of others like George Washington, Malala Yousafzai or Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the stark differences prove that leadership doesn’t have to fit into a traditional hierarchy or process. Rather, leadership is a frame of mind that allows you to deliberately respond well to whatever situation you’re in. Doing something when others do nothing is the primary signal to others this frame of mind is alive in you, regardless of what the circumstances happen to be.
3. You’re a Good Leader if You Have a Big Title
Most people who rise to the top and have a title have earned it — they’ve worked their keesters off and tapped both intelligence and grit to get fantastic results. They play fair and make a lot of sacrifices to bring themselves and others forward.
As those of us who have been around the business block a few times know, however, unqualified leaders sit at the top more often than people might think. Some, as highlighted in the first myth, are handed the chance to lead by people they know even if they haven’t earned it. Other poor leaders list out mistakes they personally made but then continue to make threats to scare their teams into better performance, refusing to take accountability for the real reasons why their business is struggling. It’s unfortunately not uncommon for executives to create a culture so toxic it almost kills their businesses.
These two sides of leadership show it’s your choices that make the difference, not your title. You could shirk responsibility and turn a blind eye to problems when given the power to lead. But you also have the ability to believe in yourself and lift your team. You can choose to work hard and teach people to operate with high standards and accountability. If you want the positive results the latter option offers, don’t consider yourself a great leader simply because you have a great title.
4. There’s a Leadership Destination
Under the traditional “climb the ladder” idea in business, eventually, you’ll get to the top, survey your kingdom and kick up your feet. When I became a CEO, I thought I’d crossed the finish line at the end of the marathon. Instead, I was suddenly responsible for a million things. I had to get answers in areas I wasn’t an expert in. Everything was more complex.
The COVID-19 pandemic reinforced for me that leaders often have to get companies through situations where there isn’t a playbook. I’ve realized leadership is an ultra-marathon with no stopping point. If you believe there’s an end to the journey, your best days are behind you, because your drive to learn and explore will fade fast.
Ready To Expand Your View?
Sitting on top of the same mountain all your life can provide a pretty comfortable view. But in the end, you aren’t glued to the grass. Sitting there is a choice. If you don’t stretch your legs and walk around, you might never experience all of the other amazing scenes in the world. You’ll also lose the chance to have a positive impact in those other areas. In the same way, each of us can choose to abandon what we’ve previously believed about leadership and walk a new path of success that never stops.
So travel to a new mountain and tap the potential that’s always been inside you, because the world needs the great things only you can deliver.
