On Leadership

What is Leadership?

... The process and abilities it takes to achieve a desired performance or opinion from people.

When it comes to teams...

... The process and abilities it takes to achieve better performance and relationships from you and your teammates.


Performance vs. Vocal Leadership

Performance Leadership is leading by example. These people "lead not by what they say but ore in how they conduct themselves." Performance leaders often do not even realize that they are leading others, and they do not try. Since they lead through their everyday actions and and the manner in which they conduct themselves without trying, people naturally admire and follow them.

Vocal Leadership is when you lead through words as well as actions. Vocal leaders display the same qualities as a Performance leaders but " they go a critical step further in that they are willing to step outside of themselves by verbally encouraging, motivation, challenging, and holding their teammates accountable." Vocal leaders are more affective when trying to motivate people who lack the motivation in themselves. When the team is down they bring them back up.

I am mostly a performance leader. I am pretty steady in my conduct, character, and skill. People look to me often as an example of what to do physically and in conduct. This comes easily for me but vocal leadership is my struggle. I am good with the encouraging part of vocal leadership because I hand out complements and support like candy, it is not awkward for me. Also I can enforce codes of conduct if people are out of line. My trouble comes in telling people what they need to do when I do not feel like I have the authority in the situation. People younger than me or below my level, I can lead vocally, but people who are a level or a year above me, I do not feel like I can boss them around. I do this because I do not want to be thought arrogant. I suppose I need to figure out how to lead people above me while maintaining a humility in order to fix that problem.

Are Leaders born or made?

Leaders are made. They can be born with the natural characteristics and qualities of a leader but not develop those skills to a point that they are an affective leader. Some people are not born with these talents, but they want to be a leader so they work hard to develop them. Also people can become leaders out of necessity or a void in the team. If the team needs a leader, someone who would not be originally inclined to fill that position might become the leader because the role needs to be filled and they are the only one willing or capable to do it.