What Does It Take To Lead?

I’ve been in a management role/leadership role for nearly fifteen years of my nineteen year career. I’ve never worried about title, been motivated by position power or control; I’ve only wanted to make great things happen and be satisfied at the end of the day that my team and I were doing what the business needed and that the work was at the highest bar possible.

Ah, but that wasn’t all that floated my boat, so to speak. Truth be told, what I’ve enjoyed the most as a leader is seeing others develop and grow. That has helped me to find meaning in my work during turbulent times and has uplifted me countless times, even when the going was good. Some say I was good at leading. Others might beg to differ. I know I wasn’t always perfect. But, at the end of the day, I enjoyed the heck out of it. And I hope I was able to impact those around me positively.

I’ve lost touch with my first mentor/boss, Phil Petrilli. Besides being wicked smart (engineer, MBA & a law degree which isn’t typical for a VP of HR), he was a kind, values-based and committed leader. He hired me without any deep organizational development experience to head up a new OD function in a 1,500 person family-run business. I guess he liked my generalist and educational background, my energy and how hungry I was to learn. He took a chance on me. And for the two years I worked for him, I was able to grow under his mentorship and watchful eye.

So, it was in my formidable years as a fledgling manager that Phil became my role model for what a leader does and doesn’t do. He gave me room to make mistakes, always catching me before I fell of a ledge. He took time to talk things through and share what was going on in the business, even though it was generally at 7 in the morning over coffee. He laughed a lot. He did not hesitate to “shout from the rooftops” for what he believed in. He was not an egoist. He was thoughtful about managing change. He sent me more articles than you can shake a stick at and he invested in my formal development. He gave me feedback. He shared his lessons learned and at times he was vulnerable. He supported me – no – more than that. He stood up for me. He taught me to go for the gusto but to do so in a way that was not off-putting to others. He showed me that relationships matter most in business.

That two-way relationship has made an indelible impact on me and it has made me a better person to boot. (Phil, wherever you are and whatever it takes, I’m going to find you and thank you properly.)

With this little hiatus of mine from the “grind” of corporate America, I’ve had time to reflect on what leadership means to me. I’m currently in an individual contributor role (aka a consultant) and that has tested me (and not because I have to do everything from developing the strategy to making the deck look pretty). What is a leader? And, if I don’t have a team to lead, am I still a leader?

In the past, I’ve had arguments, perhaps passionate arguments, about the notion of leadership and management. People always want to separate the two. “Well, there are leaders and they are at the top of the pyramid. And, there are managers who execute what the leaders say to do. Oh, and there are the worker-bees who really get the stuff done.” That just doesn’t resonate with me.

What do leaders do? They get excited about (and create) a common purpose; they act with integrity and empower those around them to be their best; they influence processes and find a way to make the right things happen; they achieve results for the greater good (vs. to build out their own resume or to line their pockets with dineros); they have followers – people who want to be around them. They are accountable for what’s been asked of them. Does it really take being at the top of the pyramid to do all that? Personally I don’t think so.

I get that at different levels of an organization there are different responsibilities, different levels of risk and reward, different levels of influence and experience, different levels of accountability. But, I tell you…I’ve seen a lot of people who are “leaders” who don’t know what the heck they are doing or who don't care what their behaviors are doing to their people or the organization's health. And, I’ve seen a lot of people who are “followers” who make magic happen because of how they show up to the game. I’m still open for a debate on this. Really! But, I’m just saying, I think we should stop trying to segment the organization into the haves and have nots and call for leaders at every level of the organization. Wouldn't that be cool?