Going Beyond Your Limits

There have been times in my life when I was asked what kind of a leader I am. I find those types of questions difficult because I do not like to highlight my characteristics. It seems that life has a tendency to change the way you do things. Naturally, we tend to rise up to the occasion. In this case, the way one leads may be different due to one's circumstances.

Leadership has many facets. Some say you must have followers to call yourself a leader. Some talk about how you conduct yourself. Some say to look at the outcome. Here's what Peter F. Drucker has to say, as that brings us to this week's quote...

Leadership is not magnetic personality — that can just as well be a glib tongue. It is not ‘making friends and influencing people’ — that is flattery. Leadership is lifting a person’s vision to high sights, the raising of a person’s performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations.
~ Peter F. Drucker

I would paraphrase what Mr. Drucker is saying as, "Leadership is getting people to go beyond their limits." Whether that is the way they see things, a new vision, the way they do things, or practically anything that is something "new" to them.

Too often we like being comfortable. Comfortable is symbolized by getting settled in, like getting to that cozy spot and staying there for a while. It is comfortable and we like to stay there.

I don't know if you're at a position in life to feel what it is like to get up from a position and have your joints be a little stiff and painful. I have entered into such a phase the last few years. If I were to stay in the spot of comfort then I am fine, but to move is not fine.

Leaders are to cause people to see the next level from a visionary standpoint, to cause them to get out of their comfort levels, and to simply go beyond their limits.

Are you one who tends to lead or follow? There are advantages of both. Leaders need followers and followers need leaders. I challenge all the leaders out there to think about this charge!

Now it's your turn...What type of leadership style do you respond to the most.