I’m a big fan of Mark Miller and his work on leadership. One of the things that Mark believes that resonates most closely with me, and my own philosophy on leadership, is that leadership is not exclusive. All of us have what it takes to be a leader. You, me, the person at the top of the org chart and the person whose name will never appear in a box. The important thing is growing as a leader from where you are – and it doesn’t have to be one size fits all.
I’m looking forward to reading Mark’s new book and think that you’ll enjoy it too. I was in no way compensated for this post, I simply enjoy Mark’s work and wanted to share it with all of you.
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Originally Posted on greatleadersserve.org on Wednesday, August 7, 2013
The subtitle of my new book really captures the reason I’m so excited about its release… Becoming a Leader People Want to Follow. If you and I as leaders cannot create follow-ship, we’re not leading at all. John Maxwell says, “If you look around and no one is following you, you’re just taking a walk.”
In The Heart of Leadership, I outline five critical leadership character traits you and I need to cultivate to be the leader people want to follow. Although all the traits are essential, the demonstrated ability to Expect the Best may be the one that correlates most directly with our ability to enlist followers.
How does this “Expect the Best” character trait show up? It can be seen clearly in at least three arenas:
When contemplating the future. Leadership always begins with a preferred picture of the future. If you and I don’t expect the best, it is virtually impossible to see a future that is better than the past. If we don’t see a preferred future, we shouldn’t be leading – actually, we aren’t leading.
When facing challenges. Challenges are real and so are the problems leaders face on an on-going basis. However, it is our belief in our ability to architect a favorable outcome that makes challenges approachable. People want and need this from their leaders. A calm confidence that says, “We are going to figure this out.”
When working with people. In case you missed it, working with and leading people is one of the ever-present challenges leaders face. This challenge is manageable, in part, because leaders Expect the Best from people. Obviously, this is not always the way it works out. But it is where the best leaders begin. It’s not, “Prove I can trust you,” it’s, “I trust you until you prove yourself untrustworthy.”
People always watch the leader. They take many of their cues from us and need us to Expect the Best. When we do, our followers are encouraged, energized and more likely to move boldly into an unknown future. If we Expect the Best, our attitude is contagious.
You all probably know, the difference between an optimist and a pessimist can be seen in how they see a glass half full of water. The pessimist says, “It’s half empty.” The optimist says, “It’s half full.” Leaders who expect the best see the glass differently. They say, “It’s completely full – half air and half water.” That’s the kind of leader I want to be, and that’s the kind of leader I want to follow!
Do you Expect the Best? If you’re unsure, ask those closest to you.
Mark Miller, well known business leader, best-selling author, and communicator, is excited about sharing The Heart of Leadership: Becoming a Leader People Want to Follow with those who are ready to take the next step. You can find it on Amazon and in bookstores everywhere.
Thanks for sharing this excerpt, Alli. “Expect the best” is a great way to think about life, not just leadership. Always good to think from the end, i.e., what do I want to create/achieve and work toward that. And challenges are just the other side of the same coin as opportunities. By expecting the best of ourselves first, we inspire others to do the same. Thanks, Alli!
You’re right on, Alice! It’s expecting the best from ourselves that not only inspires but invites others to join us. Always appreciate your feedback and insights!
Alli, this is a great book to promote for many reasons. First, anyone can be a leader…the person at the grocery store, dry cleaners, Fortune 500 company, etc. We all have that potential, and I love the way you bring out every day leadership in the things we do every single day…often without thinking about them.
LaRae – You have no idea how much I appreciate you 🙂
Yes – anyone that thinks that a title makes a leader has been living under a rock for a while. Leaders are EVERYWHERE and are making a difference.
Thanks so much, LaRae!
Really enjoyed Mark’s book. Such an easy-to-read story calling leaders to focus on the fundamentals of leading well.
I’m still waiting on mine from Amazon! Things take a wee bit of time to arrive here in the Outback. Very much looking forward to it! Loved your interview with Mark!
“I trust you until you prove yourself untrustworthy”
That is a very interesting thought. How long does it take for somebody to prove themselves untrustworthy?
Maybe leadership is all about finding out what drives peoples actions (trustworthy or not) and then finding a common ground.
I think that in my own life and leadership I lead by extending my trust and like a hand over a flame, I’ll leave it with the other person until I’m burned. My hope is that time will never come. Reminds me of when I had new team members and I wouldn’t start them out with small tasks and let them prove themselves… I hired them for a reason, believed in them and gave them interesting, meaty, challenging work from the get-go. I pulled back when they showed me or told me they were not yet ready. There is definitely an element of understanding what drives people to know when they are in over their head or not ready for a certain level of trust. Leadership starts with a relationship – without that, trust just falls flat.
A sincere thanks for your comment and insight, James!