What is Leadership?
Leadership requires, most importantly, someone or something to lead. I find I’m a very good leader of dogs. I lead them to food, water, a place to poop, and especially to scraps of food that fall on the floor when I’m eating in my recliner. They look at me as if to ask, “Is it OK if I help myself to this tasty morsel?” I even got one of my dogs to eat a piece of scallion the other day. Leadership!
Leaders come in all forms. History shows us that, if you’re loud enough, able to create a large following, and have a strong and well-equipped army, you too, can become a leader. Money helps too. Ironically, intelligence is not necessarily required. Genghis Khan managed to get ahead with nothing more than really cool facial hair… and an army.
There are good leaders and bad leaders, and it’s often difficult to distinguish between the two. It’s often history that decides who is or isn’t, and these days it really depends on which cable news show you watch.
I’ve often heard “the worst teacher is the best teacher.” Confucious may have said that, or maybe it was my high school principal. Does that mean the best teacher is the worst teacher? We’ll just have to let history decide.
I’ve read a lot of books on leadership (OK, three). Much of the information was contradictory so I really didn’t get a whole lot of practical information. I did, however, pay for three books. Maybe total book sales are what makes a good leader?
Another popular saying: “Lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way.” I’m not sure I know what this means, but it sounds like a leader wrote it. Maybe it was a dog since that’s exactly how they look at me when I spill my nachos.
