A leader must have vision. Without it, he is leading like a chicken without a head and he and his team will end up in someone’s dinner plate.

Oftentimes accompanied by hope and promise, a leader steers the team towards an image of a much better impending situation compared to the present. His vision stares at the face of impossibility and boldly declares that I can be done.

A leader in progress MUST have a VISION. It is a requirement.  Being a leader requires you to lead your crew somewhere. Followers will not stake their lives and future to a leader who does not know where he is taking them. People you lead become excited at the thought of a future that is great and fantastic.

Jonathan Swift, Irish Author and Satirist, says that  “Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.” It has not happened yet. It may or may not happen depending on whether the person who received the vision is willing and able to reach it. Everyone may have an idea of where they will be a few years from now. But will they have the power to go and achieve it?

If you are a leader and you do not have a vision, then start having one.

People follow your every command because of that title. But will they follow you when you do not have it anymore? They will hold on to every word you say because of those sacred words that come after you name. But when they are removed, will they still give you the time of day?

Leadership is all about influence – not titles.

Influence is defined as the capacity or power to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behavior and opinions of others. You have the power to persuade others.

The true test of leadership is when people still acknowledge you as a leader without the title. They ask you for help and advise though you are not their immediate superior. Why? Because they see you as their leader and you have influence over their lives.

With all humility, I say this. I have had different titles under me. I have been given many positions and have headed different projects. Of course, I have had many positions stripped from me as well. However, I have noticed that people seem to still ask what I think when it comes to different matters. Somehow, they would like to know what my take is on a certain problem or issue. And they do not work for me or are under my jurisdiction. I am humbled whenever this happens. I do not mean to be arrogant. But I am just sharing what I have experienced to be true: It proves that leadership is not about titles but influence.

I, too, have fallen into the title trap. Before, I thought having the title will guarantee that people will follow me. Hey! I’m the leader, aren’t I. But I had to learn the hard way. People don’t follow leaders because they have the position. People follow leaders because they are confident in them regardless if they had the title or not.

I know of leaders who have the title but people do not respect them. They have the important-sounding position but people will not follow them if it were not for the fear of losing their jobs.

Do you know any leader who is like this? I hope it isn’t you.

Good leaders are leaders who people still follow even if they do not have the titles under them.

Let me encourage you today. Instead of making a name for yourself, why not make yourself nameless and make a positive impact in someones life.

If you are so consumed of having a title, then why don’t you stop for a while and consider if the title makes the man or does the man make the title?
If you are a leader today, will people still follow you once you are stripped off that coveted title?

I challenge you to think about it if you really want to be a leader in progress.

Leadership is about influence.

I have shared my different views on the topic of leadership.

So far, you have read different leadership articles on the importance of several key leadership characteristics and having effective leadership. Also, I have received wonderful comments from avid readers of this blog.

I would like to introduce something new to all of your today called “OPEN SESSION.” In Open Session, I will be asking you a question for a certain duration in the hopes of getting valuable feedback from the readers of LEADERINPROGRESS.COM.

For the first OPEN SESSION topic, let me ask you…

“WHAT MAKES A GREAT LEADER?”

If you were given the opportunity to define what a great leader is, what will he or she become? I want to hear your opinions and views. How? Leave a comment on this blog. Share as much as you can. I am dying to know what you think makes a great leader.

I will be waiting for your comments. Go ahead, Leader in Progress!

Counting the cost means that you need to see all the options, weight it and decide. Just like in any decision making, one needs to make sure all facts are gathered. One cannot make a right and wise decision if facts are flawed or missing. But remember, it is not just a decision that will benefit the leader but, most importantly, consider the welfare of those under him.

There are times when the cost is heavy but there is a distinct possibility that things will go well. Sometimes, logic will be overrun by a gut feel or what others call faith. I must admit. There are times when I made decision that seemed illogical. But I knew deep inside my spirit, I must have faith. But this happens only if I have carefully studied and weighed all the options.

Some leaders do not take this by heart. They become impulsive and jump with both feet without considering the different factors that will influence the outcome of a decision. As a leader, do not neglect the fact that the decisions you make will affect those who follow you. Will it be right that you are basking in the spotlight while those who have put their trust in you suffer simply because you did not count the cost?

How many leaders do you know who have not counted the cost and have eventually lost?

If you count the cost, eventually, you will count the victories.

I love playing computer games especially those that require skill, thinking and logic. I have played games before that require you to form a team for a quest. So I would choose different characters like a barbarian, a warrior, a magician and a thief. Clearly, the leader of the pack was the warrior. The barbarian was a big brute of a guy who typically use his strength to fend off enemies. The magician provided all sorts of spells and the thief was a small kid who got us out of tough situations.

In one mission, we were trapped in a dark and magical dungeon maze. The only way of escape was for us to go through the maze. Since the place was magical, my magician could not cast any spells. My warrior and barbarian were basically blind as a bat. But the thief, the smallest of them all, had the ability to see in the dark and find ways of escape. Though he was not the positional leader of the group, at that instance, he led this band of warriors in every dark corner and unknown cranny of the maze. The team trusted him and in his ability. Ultimately, they found the way out and continued their quest.

You may not have the looks, the title and the skill of the positional leader. But at that moment, people are counting on you and willing to follow you because they believe that you are capable of leading them out of that situation for that moment. You may have a skill that he positional leader does not have. You may have the gift or talent that the man in charge does not have. You may have the experience that none in the team has. It is your time to shine. It is your time to lead.

What makes you a leader at that time is that moment of need.

Let me encourage you to lead with all of your heart. Lead because you can. People are depending on you to deliver them out of the dark maze.

Leaders need to lead by example. Leading by example simply means that you believe in what you say and in what you teach so much that you are going to apply it in your daily life regardless if people are watching you or not. Most people will not do what you say because they do not believe that you can do it yourself. It’s easy to bark orders. But when you apply in real life the principles you profess with your mouth, you are earning credibility that cannot be bought. You will earn the respect of your subordinates and your peers.

It is like a gym instructor teaching his clients about proper diet and exercise. Yet, he himself is out of shape and overweight. Would you consider him an authority in health and wellness? Absolutely not. Would you follow his advice? No way. You want to lose weight and be fit. Not the other way around.

As a leader in progress, lead by example. Make sure that you can back up your claim. This way, you earn not just leadership points but the respect and loyalty of your those who are under you, around you and above you.

Is it because of the privilege of helping people? Is it because you see yourself as someone who can guide a team to victory? Is it because you have an intense passion to move forward and succeed?

Or is it because of the bright lights, the perks, and the soothing sound of your name when it’s mentioned with your title?As a leader, it is imperative that your intentions are clear cut. Lead because you enjoy bringing people to better situations. Lead because you can bring out the best out of your followers. Lead because you want to make great things happen.

There will be times it won’t be a good day to be a leader. A leader with the wrong motivation to lead will give up easily. He is only looking after himself and does not care about his subordinates.

But a real leader with pure motives will stick till the very end. He will weather the storm and not give up because so much is at stake. No. Not his title but the future of those who depend on his leadership.

Lead for the right and noble reasons.

Taking a break is a vital part of being a leader in progress.

Find out how by watching this episode by Rodney Garcia.

http://www.youtube.com/leaderinprogress

Hello folks! Another episode from LEADERINPROGRESS.COM.

Now that you have the title, what will you do with it? Good or evil.

Have a listen to my insight about it.

Email me at rodneygarcia@leaderinprogress.com

Visit http://www.leaderinprogress.com

I would like to encourage those who watch the videos to comment. Send me an e-mail. Send me a video response if you have a YouTube account. Let me know if of your experiences and insights. Don’t let me just talk here.

God bless you again and thanks for watching.