Several years ago we pooled our thoughts about what leadership meant for us. It became a kind of ‘charter’ to guide our practice. We often review this and fine tune it. It seemed to resonate with people, so we thought we would share it:
- Leadership is always formed in relationship. A leader cannot lead without followers’ consent. Each must offer something to the other.
- The aspiration to lead should arise from the desire to serve.
- Every follower wants to contribute to something meaningful. The greatest gift of the leader is to inspire others with a sense of purpose.
- The leader’s role is not to convince others to share their vision but to live it, enabling others to discover their vision within themselves.
- Developing leadership capacity therefore requires inner work. The capacity to lead does not come from position or personality – but from self-knowledge and self-direction; an understanding of one’s particular strengths, motives, values and vision.
- While skills and techniques may help the leader, they are no substitute for self-awareness. Leadership is not taught but self-developed.
- Leadership credibility is built on trust. Trust is given to those who demonstrate alignment between stated values and daily behaviours – who have real demonstrable integrity.
- Leadership does not diminish those who follow. It reveals and enhances their potential to become the complete human beings they are capable of becoming.
- Leadership always creates a supportive environment for the development of other leaders.
- Leaders create culture at every level of an organisation. Their day-to-day behaviours define its values. If you want to understand the nature of an organisation, watch the behaviour of the leaders.