Leaders are All About...

I have been receiving e-mails and questions via face book about leadership and what it is all about.
I am not the son of John Maxwell nor his avid. If I have this chance to select between him and Joel Osteen, I prefer Joel instead. But many people are so interested with topic I have always been writing in my notes and tagging all the people around and I believe they are reaching a larger crowd now.
Lately, even my dear friend from UST, now a PE teacher, Joanne Saldaña asked me about what game I cna recommend her so her students can play a leadership game.

Now I will make things clear that I only have shallow understanding about this topic. Only those that are related to my experiences I write about. Most of them about directing artists and conducting singers and musicians but not more of corporate world. Absolutely not about politics even if my parents are almost political scientists.

I will tell you today what leadership is all about in two ways;
- by telling you what leadership is not and,
- by telling you directly what leadership is all about

It will be very easy to understand leadership by understanding first what it is not.

1. Leadership is not Administration--Leaders are not always administrators. Administrators are those who hold a position and involved in a hierarchy and ranking programs. But leaders can lead without position. Leadership then, according to Boris Joaquin, is anytime you influence another peoples way of action in either personal or professional life.

2. Leadership is not Politics. Politics is defined by my parents as the art of governance. It is not dirty! politics is the style of a group of patriots on how they can administer the state. But leadership is also applicable in a basketball game, a dance troupe practice, and business. Leadership encompasses family lifestyle, business affiliations, work place, anything which is in need of someone to influence them.

3. Leadership is not just about Influence. Opposite to what many of us thought, leadership is about is more of influence but not all influential objects are leaders. For example, drugs. You can be influenced by drugs but that is not your leader. An actor can be influential and can move a bigger crowd but they are not leaders because they do not affect everyone's personal and professional life.

4. Leadership is not Prestige-- A leader is not dependent on how famous he or she is. Leaders accept visions not admiration.

Now what are the all abouts of leadership. I have seven coming from Aristotle's accidents.

1. Leadership is all about Quality [ ask "What"]
Leaders are often evaluated and criticized by what style of leadership they are practicing. Remember this leaders, you will be judged according to what approach of leadership you dwell in during your days. there are actually four leadership styles that several leaders consciously or unconsciously exercise.

1.1 Directive Leadership---Many of the old school leaders adhere to this. These are the types of leaders that are goal oriented but less affectionate to their members. They want all things done perfectly under their governance but never noticed the constraints of the followers. However, projects are advanced and many accomplishments are commendable in this kind of leadership.

1.2 Supportive Leadership---The foci of this style are the members. This is the type of leader who always allow explorations of their followers and support them in their own projects. Most often, it is the trial and error class of leadership because it is not directed toward one goal. However, enhancement of members are given enough time and resources.

1.3 Inspirational Leadership---My style is more related to this approach. I am a leader who will not strictly implement my regulations but will stand as a model and mentor to my colleagues. I want them to admire me and make me an example of their excellence and someday let them dream to be half like me. I believe this is the type of leadership that suits me. Without disregard to the other three, many people will find it wrong to be an inspirational leaders when they are believing in individual uniqueness.

1.4 Delegative leadership---When a leader is very convenient with his members, due to long period of partnership, they are confident to delegate a work to their members. My theory is this, delegational leaders always start as supportive leaders. When they already know that their members can fly using their own wings, they will let them do a project on their own.

2. Leadership is all about Quantity [Ask "Which"]
While it is true that leaders should focus on the quality of leadership, we still cannot deny the fact that life is full of choices. You always decide. A very very good leader is a decisive leader. One sage said a long time ago, "Battles are won not because of the number of warriors and weapons but because of the committed decision of a leader." We cannot separate life from alternatives. As a leader, it is your prerogative and obligation to select for your members. Your decision will always give impact to the lives of your people.

3. Leadership is all about Time [ Ask "When"]
A good leader understands that he will not always stay in power. A leadership with time table is the leadership with action. This too shall pass, says the carmelengo before crowning the Pope. Everything is transitory. A leader must be conscious of the days that pass and the day when he will pass the torch to another person.

4. Leadership is all about Place [ Ask "Where"]
A leader is always at the right place at the right time. His timing is very important. A leader smokes only in the smoking area. He parks in the proper lot and he eats in the restaurant not in the office. A good leader meets his corporates in a conference room and not in the toilet room. A good leader understands the places he has to be at a certain occasion. If your leader fails to do it. He is a dog, because only dogs urinate in sidewalks. Leaders don't do that.

5. Leadership is all about Posture [ Ask "How"]
I will not elect a leader who slouches in his seat during conferences. Neither will you. I remember in the Book of Judges, before choosing the armies, Gideon watched how the men of Israel drink in a river. I believe posture is an important aspect of our personality. If you are son of the Most High you should stand with reputation and dignity. When I attended a leadership training 2006 to be exact, the speaker gave a quotation and it says "Lie down with your wealth, Sit down with your problems, Stand for your boss, kneel for your people" Your posture will tell your people when to move and when to alert themselves. I will leave you another sms message; Make it sure leaders that when All of them are sitting, you are standing. When all of them are standing, you stands out. When all of them are standing out...make sure that you are outstanding.

6. Leadership is all about Habits
If in quality you have to ask what, in quantity you have to ask which of these, in time you ask when, place you ask where, posture you ask how... this one will tell you about the leader himself. So far, it is the only category that will let you ask "who" the leader is. The question is who. Leadership is all about Habits. your habit is who you are. If you want to know who is the leader, watch his habit. Everything starts with our thought. What you always think is what you will say. What you always say is what you will do. What you always do becomes your habit. Your habit becomes your character. And fortunately [or unfortunately] your character leads to your destiny. You see the pattern, from thoughts to words to action to habits to character and to destiny.Be careful what you think. Guard what you say. They might become your habits. And I tell you, if the thought is still in your mind you have the power over it. However, once it becomes a habit you do not have any power over it. That is why you see people telling you they like to change but they just cannot. A friend who likes to quit smoking and really willed to stop it but cannot? Have you seen one? You know why they can't? I'll tell you the truth. YOUR HABITS ARE 50,000 TIMES MORE POWERFUL THAN YOUR DESIRES. Because that is already you whom you want to change. If you want to change a habit, change a person. Now watch out what are the habits of the candidates you want to elect as leaders? Leadership is all about habits!

7. Leadership is all about Relationship
You are who you are with. Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are. No two persons will walk together if they did not agreed to. Leaders, remember this. You are only as good as your weakest member {Mark Anthony Carpio}. If you are joining a group of dancers absolutely you love dancing too. There are two ways on how to know who the leader is. the first is habits. the second is relationship. If you join a group of sporty people, you must have something common with them. People will judge you according to the people you are with. Leaders, you must establish a very good relationship to your members. Communication is vital. Please relate. A leader who lacks relations is a weak leader. No network means no work. And no work, no pork. Leadership is all about relationship.

Nasa notes ko ito sa facebook, I just shared it pero luma na... sa tingin ko benificial naman siya kaya sinama ko na