I can’t believe that we may already experiencing a generation who does not know who Bruce Lee is. I guess I might be dating myself and all my other brethren and sistren in their mid to late 30’s..LOL. Bruce Lee was my childhood hero, I knew every movie that he was in. Thanks to my dad and living vicariously through me, I have trained, competed and taught in the world of martial arts all due to the legacy of the Late Bruce Lee. Outside of his spectacular martial arts career, many people did not know he studied philosophy in college. It seems that we have more to learn than just kicking and punching from the Little Dragon. We can utilize some of his ideas for business. Outside of his spectacular martial arts career, many people did not know he studied philosophy in college. He had some powerful quotes, but 2 stick out primarily when I think of Leadership:
“Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do.”
And
“Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own.“
This brings me to a point. Sure there are natural-born persons with the propensity to lead, but ultimately Leadership is something that has to be cultivated. I heard a quote the other day, “A good Leader, was a great follower at some point in their life.”
Leadership is an important tenet that owners, managers, and bosses need. But for those who think that leadership does not apply to them because they are new to the team, not-in-management, or feel that that is not their role, think again!
Listen up Millenials and the inheritors of the new generation! The world needs you.
Leadership exists in many forms. It can show up as how you take accountability and source a solution. It can prevail when no one in your team has an answer but you do and you suggest it. It’s when you decide to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable but you know it’s paramount to get the job done and that shows self-leadership. Being a good leader is setting a good example for you and your team. I know that working side-by-side Walter we have both borrowed form each other’s best skills to make us strong leaders. We are a small team in consideration for the size of loads that we move. We always brag that BOA’s team is not a 500 person battalion of frontline soldiers, we say that our team is a small platoon of highly-specialized Navy Seals. It takes extreme leadership and accountability to lead amongst peers, to lead in partnerships together, and most importantly to lead yourself to a better you.
There are different types of leaders out there :
(http://wisetoast.com/12-different-types-of-leadership-styles/)
1. Autocratic Leadership
Autocratic leadership style is centered on the boss. In this leadership the leader holds all authority and responsibility. In this leadership, leaders make decisions on their own without consulting subordinates. They reach decisions, communicate them to subordinates and expect prompt implementation. Autocratic work environment does normally have little or no flexibility.
In this kind of leadership, guidelines, procedures and policies are all natural additions of an autocratic leader. Statistically, there are very few situations that can actually support autocratic leadership.
Some of the leaders that support this kind of leadership include: Albert J Dunlap (Sunbeam Corporation) and Donald Trump (Trump Organization) among others.
2. Democratic Leadership
In this leadership style, subordinates are involved in making decisions. Unlike autocratic, this headship is centered on subordinates’ contributions. The democratic leader holds final responsibility, but he or she is known to delegate authority to other people, who determine work projects.
The most unique feature of this leadership is that communication is active upward and downward. With respect to statistics, democratic leadership is one of the most preferred leadership, and it entails the following: fairness, competence, creativity, courage, intelligence and honesty.
3. Strategic Leadership Style
Strategic leadership is one that involves a leader who is essentially the head of an organization. The strategic leader is not limited to those at the top of the organization. It is geared to a wider audience at all levels who want to create a high performance life, team or organization.
The strategic leader fills the gap between the need for new possibility and the need for practicality by providing a prescriptive set of habits. An effective strategic leadership delivers the goods in terms of what an organization naturally expects from its leadership in times of change. 55% of this leadership normally involves strategic thinking.
4. Transformational Leadership
Unlike other leadership styles, transformational leadership is all about initiating change in organizations, groups, oneself and others.
Transformational leaders motivate others to do more than they originally intended and often even more than they thought possible. They set more challenging expectations and typically achieve higher performance.
Statistically, transformational leadership tends to have more committed and satisfied followers. This is mainly so because transformational leaders empower followers.
5. Team Leadership
Team leadership involves the creation of a vivid picture of its future, where it is heading and what it will stand for. The vision inspires and provides a strong sense of purpose and direction.
Team leadership is about working with the hearts and minds of all those involved. It also recognizes that teamwork may not always involve trusting cooperative relationships. The most challenging aspect of this leadership is whether or not it will succeed. According to Harvard Business Review, team leadership may fail because of poor leadership qualities.
6. Cross-Cultural Leadership
This form of leadership normally exists where there are various cultures in the society. This leadership has also industrialized as a way to recognize front runners who work in the contemporary globalized market.
Organizations, particularly international ones require leaders who can effectively adjust their leadership to work in different environs. Most of the leaderships observed in the United States are cross-cultural because of the different cultures that live and work there.
7. Facilitative Leadership
Facilitative leadership is too dependent on measurements and outcomes – not a skill, although it takes much skill to master. The effectiveness of a group is directly related to the efficacy of its process. If the group is high functioning, the facilitative leader uses a light hand on the process.
On the other hand, if the group is low functioning, the facilitative leader will be more directives in helping the group run its process. An effective facilitative leadership involves monitoring of group dynamics, offering process suggestions and interventions to help the group stay on track.
8. Laissez-faire Leadership
Laissez-faire leadership gives authority to employees. According to azcentral, departments or subordinates are allowed to work as they choose with minimal or no interference. According to research, this kind of leadership has been consistently found to be the least satisfying and least effective management style.
9. Transactional Leadership
This is a leadership that maintains or continues the status quo. It is also the leadership that involves an exchange process, whereby followers get immediate, tangible rewards for carrying out the leader’s orders. Transactional leadership can sound rather basic, with its focus on exchange.
Being clear, focusing on expectations, giving feedback are all important leadership skills. According to Boundless.com, transactional leadership behaviors can include: clarifying what is expected of followers’ performance; explaining how to meet such expectations; and allocating rewards that are contingent on meeting objectives.
10. Coaching Leadership
Coaching leadership involves teaching and supervising followers. A coaching leader is highly operational in setting where results/ performance require improvement. Basically, in this kind of leadership, followers are helped to improve their skills. Coaching leadership does the following: motivates followers, inspires followers and encourages followers.
11. Charismatic Leadership
In this leadership, the charismatic leader manifests his or her revolutionary power. Charisma does not mean sheer behavioral change. It actually involves a transformation of followers’ values and beliefs.
Therefore, this distinguishes a charismatic leader from a simply populist leader who may affect attitudes towards specific objects, but who is not prepared as the charismatic leader is, to transform the underlying normative orientation that structures specific attitudes.
12. Visionary Leadership
This form of leadership involves leaders who recognize that the methods, steps and processes of leadership are all obtained with and through people. Most great and successful leaders have the aspects of vision in them.
However, those who are highly visionary are the ones considered to be exhibiting visionary leadership. Outstanding leaders will always transform their visions into realities.
….
Regardless, of what style you think you are, there are 11 attributes that make an excellent leader. These attributes are classic and written by Napoleon Hill. See what applies and what you may need to work on. Being honest with yourself will be the best dose of medicine you can have. Everyone can benefit from all of these attributes.
*11 attributes of leadership
UNWAVERING COURAGE
The successful person requires unwavering courage based upon knowledge of self, and of one’s occupation. No follower wishes to be dominated by a leader who lacks self- confidence and courage. No intelligent follower will be dominated by such a leader very long.
SELF-CONTROL
The person who cannot control themself, can never control others. Self-control sets a mighty example for one’s followers, which the more intelligent will emulate.
A KEEN SENSE OF JUSTICE
Without a sense of fairness and justice, no leader can command and retain the respect of their followers.
DEFINITENESS OF DECISION
The person who wavers in their decisions, shows that they is not sure of themselves. They cannot lead others successfully.
DEFINITENESS OF PLANS
The successful leader must plan their work, and work his plan. A leader who moves by guesswork, without practical, definite plans, is comparable to a ship without a rudder. Sooner or later they will land on the rocks.
THE HABIT OF DOING MORE THAN PAID FOR
One of the penalties of leadership is the necessity of willingness, upon the part of the leader, to do more than they requires of his or her followers.
A PLEASING PERSONALITY
No slovenly, careless person can become a successful leader. Leadership calls for respect. Followers will not respect a leader who does not grade high on all of the factors of a Pleasing Personality.
SYMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING
The successful leader must be in sympathy with his followers. Moreover, she or he must understand them and their problems.
MASTERY OF DETAIL
Successful leadership calls for mastery of details of the leader’s position.
WILLINGNESS TO ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY
The successful leader must be willing to assume responsibility for the mistakes and the shortcomings of his followers. If he tries to shift this responsibility, he will not remain the leader. If one of his followers makes a mistake, and shows himself incompetent, the leader must consider that it is he who failed.
COOPERATION
The successful leader must understand, and apply the principle of cooperative effort and be able to induce his followers to do the same. Leadership calls for POWER, and power calls for COOPERATION.
Bruce Lee said a few things that were poignant, “Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do.” And “Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own.“. and BTW, it will take leadership to do both. It’s no mystery why BOA has one of Bruce’s other quotes as a core value…the dude knew his stuff 🙂