Having a name tag or a “position” is meaningless without influence.
In 2013, famous comedian Will Ferrell starred in a sketch on Saturday Night Live in which he is eating dinner with his wife and daughter. After just a few minutes, they begin yelling and the sketch makes it look like this happens often. During the skit, the husband/father played by Will Ferrell begins yelling at his daughter, “Don’t talk to me like that, I am a division manager!”
He repeats that line several times and adds things like what kind of car he drives and how many push-ups he can do in 20 minutes. At one point he exclaims “I am very important!”
All of this “I AM A DIVISION MANAGER” shouting was a vain attempt to get his daughter to respect him. As this skit humorously highlights, there is more to leadership, both at home and at the office, than just a title.
“So, what do you do for a living?”
This is a question that can be both humiliating and ego-stroking. If you have a good, cool, answer, or an important sounding title, you are always excited to share. On the other hand, a lack of a title or a less-than-thrilling job description causes people to shy away from the question.
Leadership is SO MUCH MORE than a title
I have worked for so many “bosses” who were literally TERRIBLE leaders. They just had no earthly idea how to lead, how to guide, how to help the organization be better and get the best results from their subordinates. Yes, they were the “manager” the “senior” this or “senior” that, but that title came from outlasting employees over the years, not from leading well.
I have also worked with people whose title didn’t matter. They were TRUE leaders. The cared for others. They inspired those around them. They may not have had a title, actually, but rather they EARNED the right to be listened to.
Positional authority is the lowest form of leadership
This is the SINGLE MOST COMMON LEADERSHIP CONVERSATION I have had with my kids and others who complain about those they work under.
Those who NEED their title to get things done are using the lowest and least effective form of authority and leadership. People do what you say ONLY because you might have the authority to discipline them. These types of leaders are known to lead in a variety of ways:
Intimidation
Threatning
Manipulation
“Because I said so”
Public humiliation
These type of people NEVER instill confidence, never get their employees to be truly loyal and they NEVER, EVER help each employee personally excel and succeed. It is always about the organization OR about they positional leader.
There is a better way
If you lead, regardless of title or position, in a way that puts a supreme VALUE on each person, great things happen. These type of leaders are known to:
Lead in such a way that others get the credit
Praise employees in public
Reprimand or correct in private
ALWAY speak positively in public about each employee
Lead with grace knowing that employees will make mistakes – don’t embarrass
Its simple, but not easy. A leader who leads this way will have to put their own recognition and praise on the back-burner and put others first. They will have to choose to manage for the long-game, knowing that building up employees, giving grace, truly valuing each employee will take time and results will take a bit longer. But in the end, the INFLUENCIAL LEADER is far more successful and fosters far more loyalty and productivity than the positional leader.
What about you?
Do you lean on your title to get things done? Or do you go the extra mile to prove that you have the integrity for others to truly follow you?
If you are a positional leader, what can you do today to move more towards valuing others above yourself?
