One day during the American war for independence, George Washington rode up to a group of soldiers trying to raise a beam to a high position. The corporal who was overseeing the work kept shouting words of encouragement, but they couldn’t manage to do it. After watching their lack of success, Washington asked the corporal why he didn’t join in and help. The corporal replied quickly, “Do you realize that I am the corporal?” Washington very politely replied, “I beg your pardon, Mr. Corporal, I did.” Washington then dismounted his horse and went to work with the soldiers until the beam was put into place. Wiping the sweat from his face, he said, “If you should need help again, call on Washington, your commander in chief, and I will come.” From John Maxwell – Five Levels of Leadership
After six years of organizational effectiveness consulting and culture assessment, I'm more convinced than ever that the secret to success lies with leadership. Not as much with leadership "skills" as with leadership "mindset."
Why do I recommend an investment of time and money in leadership development and coaching? It’s because I believe in the power of leadership. I believe in the impact that leaders have on a culture. And I believe in the importance of equipping leaders to actually lead people.
Leadership is not a perk.
Too often leadership positions are seen as a perk. They are viewed as a privilege. A reward for hard work or accomplishment. For some, it’s a desire for power, or prestige or just a bigger paycheck.
Unfortunately, for many, the increased responsibility and additional demands are not fully understood in advance. Taking on a supervisory role is a big deal. It is not something to be taken lightly. One must count the cost beforehand.
Think about it. When a company places the responsibility for a group of others under your leadership, they are trusting you to maximize the use of those valuable resources. They are trusting you to be sure those people have clear direction. They are trusting you to be sure those people are thriving and satisfied in their jobs. They are trusting you to guide them to personal growth and better performance.
Leadership is stewardship.
In essence, the company has made you a steward. The most common definition of a steward is a person that is given full responsibility for the valuables of another. The company has entrusted you with valuable assets and asked you to protect them, utilize them, and grow them.
A steward is a person that is given full responsibility for the valuables of another.
You see, leading others requires a mindset shift. The duties of management can’t be viewed as annoyances that distract from accomplishing daily work. They must be seen as the first priority. Investing time in people, and working alongside when necessary, is how true leaders lead.
So what are the qualities of a good steward leader? Here are my top five:
Obviously, there is much, much more to say about the qualities and the heart of a true leader. I also freely admit that I have a lot of growing to do in these areas. We all struggle with issues and blind spots. We all have room for improvement.
George Washington was known for many qualities. One that I’ve always admired in particular, was his reluctance to seek and hold positions of leadership. In nearly every case, he had to be convinced, and sometimes cajoled, to assume power. There was even an effort to crown Washington as a king of sorts...an effort that he quickly and authoritatively rejected. What a refreshing contrast that is to the practice of seeking a leadership position at all costs…for personal gain.
Washington was counting the cost of leadership. He understood the requirements and sacrifices it would take to fully assume the role. When he finally agreed to lead, he did it with a rare balance of vision, courage, skill, commitment, and perhaps most importantly humility.