Different situations require different leadership styles and what might work for one organization, may not work for another. There are many resources available to you that tell you how you should lead, communicate more effectively, delegate better, or inspire others. These are useful, but they are external to you.
The cold reality is that you need to figure it out for yourself and find what works for you.
Leadership starts with understanding yourself, including your strengths and weaknesses, what you do well, and what you don’t do so well. It takes time and you have to be challenged with situations where it is difficult to determine what to do next. This information becomes the foundation for future action.
I don’t think of myself as good leader. I’m certainly not charismatic, which is one way that people view leadership. However, I’m very good at seeing opportunities that others can’t perceive and bringing ideas to life. It may appear to people that I’m working magic, but the reality is that I simply take a step back to see the big picture, connect the dots, and then craft a way forward given the set of circumstances with which I’m working. I also challenge those around me.
I see this as a more practical approach to getting things done and leading others. When you know who you are and what you are capable of doing, then you will be in a better position to organize the people and resources around you.
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