My friend Mark Sanborn has just released his newest book, You Don't Need a Title to be a Leader. Below is an excerpt from this inspiring new resource on effective leadership.

Recently, the vice president of a multinational technology company I know needed someone on his team to lead a critical project. It wasn’t enough to find someone who would do a good job. He needed a leader who would do a great job.

After careful thought and consideration, he approached a colleague, whom I’ll call Bob, who was considered an up-and comer. Bob had demonstrated tremendous potential. His work on previous projects had been exemplary. As past performance is one of the best indicators of future performance, the VP decided to sit down with him.

After explaining the project and what he wanted Bob to do, the VP extended an invitation to him to lead the project.

After a brief pause, Bob responded, “I assume you’ll make me a director if I take this on.”

His unexpected response caused the VP to pause. What were Bob’s real motivations? Was he a person driven by the need to contribute, or the need to gain? Would he act in the best interest of the organization, or only himself ? After brief hesitation, the VP explained that the title change didn’t go with the assignment. Furthermore, he went on, given Bob’s concern, maybe Bob wasn’t the right person to lead the project. The VP withdrew his offer and went back to the drawing board. After more deliberation, he came up with an alternative candidate. The person who came to mind was a woman, Gail, who had also shown great promise. Gail wasn’t actually a member of his team—in fact, she acted in a freelance capacity. But the VP knew Gail’s can-do attitude and strong people and problem- solving skills were what was needed. Despite her lack of an official position within the company, the VP decided to ask Gail to lead the project.

Given his experience with Bob, he approached her with some apprehension. After extending the offer, he added: “I want you to know that if you accept this challenge, and succeed, I can’t automatically make you a director.”

Gail didn’t even hesitate. “That’s all right,” she said. “I don’t need a title to be a leader.”

Leadership is Influence

I couldn’t have said it any better. You don’t need a title to be a leader in life. And the simple fact of having a title won’t make you a leader.

I’ve found that everyone has the opportunity to lead, every day. It doesn’t matter what your position is, or how long you’ve worked at your job, whether you help to run your family, a PTA committee, or a Fortune 1000 company. Anyone at any level can learn to be a leader and help to shape or influence the world around them.

Do you shape your life and career?
Do you inspire or influence others?
Do you work to achieve specific goals by working with or coordinating the efforts of others?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions whether you realize it or not, you are a leader.

Leadership expert John Maxwell describes leadership as positive influence. That is the most simple and elegant definition of leadership I know.

In my experience, people lead for different reasons. The one thing they do have in common is passion — passion for life and for what they do. It’s an attitude that applies in spades to West Point’s Karen Wood. For more than twenty years, Karen has worked as an aide to the adjutant general.

Had it not been for Karen’s dogged perseverance, Donald Stewart, a World War II veteran, might not have gotten the recognition he deserved for his service as a medic on the front lines in 1943. He had saved the lives of countless soldiers while under fire himself. When Karen discovered that Mr. Stewart had never been awarded a Bronze Star for his valor and courage, she worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make the award presentation a reality. Given the veteran’s advanced age, Karen knew it was critical to get him the award as quickly as possible. She found a way to cut through the red tape and make it happen, as she had orchestrated so many important events at West Point.

For years, Karen’s own dream had been to become a protocol officer. But rather than interviewing for the position, she simply worked as hard, and passionately, and selflessly in her role as aide as she knew how, consistently giving her best efforts to the officers she worked with. The higher-ups at the Academy were well aware of her exemplary performance and leadership, and her qualifications for the job. Given that, you won’t be surprised to learn that Karen was recently promoted. She is now a protocol officer, working for the superintendent of the Academy.

“I believe that if you give 110 percent in your work it will come back tenfold,” she says. As the single parent of a fifteen year-old daughter, this is the work ethic she tries to teach her daughter, as well.

“Life is what you make of it. The more you put into it, the more it reflects back on you.”

How Does a Leader Act?

What are the key characteristics of titled and untitled leaders?

They:

• Believe they can positively shape their lives and careers.
• Lead through their relationships with people, as opposed to their control over people.
• Collaborate rather than control.
• Persuade others to contribute, rather than order them to.
• Get others to follow them out of respect and commitment rather than fear and compliance.

The Leadership Test

Despite popular myth, leaders—whether titled or untitled—aren’t born. They learn how to lead. The real test of leadership is: If you had no title or ability to reward or penalize others, could you still get them to follow you?

You may be unaware of just how much of a leader you already are. You may be part of a large group of people I call the “undertitled.” In other words, your title doesn’t reflect all that you do or accomplish. If that describes you, don’t let your lack of a title hold you back. You are a leader. (Conversely, we all know “leaders” who have impressive titles but who are anything but leaders.)

For those of you who would like to have a greater impact on those around you, this book will help show you how to become a leader.

One last thing. There are plenty of books written about leadership with a capital L. The focus of this book is on “little l” leadership—whether you are a clerk or an accountant, or a manager, or a salesperson or a small-business owner. It is about the small things each of us can do every day to positively influence our customers, our colleagues, our friends, and our communities.

You aspire to lead if you want to:

• take control of your life
• make your organization better
• seize new opportunities
• improve the service your customers receive
• influence others to be their best
• solve problems
• contribute to the betterment of others
• make the world a little better place

And you don’t need a title to do it.

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May 12, 2006

American sprinter, Justin Gatlin, races 100 meters through the evening heat in Doha, Qatar in 9.76 seconds. His time equals the world record, and makes him only the 4th man to accomplish track and field’s greatest triple triumphs in the 100 meter sprint: winning a World Championship, winning an Olympic Gold Medal, and holding the world record.

May 28, 2006

Baseball slugger Barry Bonds blasts a 445-foot home run in front of his home crowd in San Francisco. The mammoth hit marks the 715th home run in Bonds’ illustrious career and moves him past the iconic Babe Ruth into second place on baseball’s all-time home run list.

July 23, 2006

American cyclist, Floyd Landis, defies all odds to be crowned champion in the storied Tour de France. After falling more than 8 minutes off the lead in late in the race, Landis makes up an astonishing amount of ground to pull off a narrow victory in cycling’s event of the year.

How will these three sporting feats be remembered? For the astounding athletes who achieved them? For their historic significance? For the initial excitement surrounding them? For earning their place in the record books?

Sadly, each will be remembered for their utter lack of credibility.

Crumbling Credibility

After failing a drug test for the second time, Justin Gatlin awaits a ruling which may lead to a lifetime ban from track and field. His name will be erased from the record books.

As Barry Bonds faces federal investigations into his purported steroid abuse, he must also endure the howling boos of fans angered by his all-but-certain steroid usage. Every step of his climb toward first place on baseball’s home run list is tainted with allegations of cheating.

Floyd Landis will relinquish his cycling championship and has been booted from his racing team for his intake of banned substances during the Tour de France. His feel good story has degenerated into a disappointing reminder of the widespread doping that plagues the American sports scene.

If leadership lessons, church sermons, and classroom curriculums seem to have worn out the theme of character lately, they do so for good reason. Corporate scandals aren’t the only embarrassing evidence of character-deficiency in the USA. From prisoner abuse at Abu-Gharib to steroid abuse running rampant in sports, American society has come face to face with a shocking shortage of morals.

Cultivating Credibility

Leaders, like never before, are scrutinized for airtight character. In this present climate of skepticism, a leader’s credibility can vanish with a momentary moral slip. In an article on www.i-lead.com adapted from their book entitled Credibility, Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner offer 5 fundamentals for building a credible foundation as a leader.

Character Counts

Reputation is based on external perceptions, and it can change due to an accusation or unfortunate circumstance. Conversely, character is built on internal decisions, and it remains rock solid amidst shifting situations.

Ultimately, a leader’s strength (or weakness) of character will prevail. In their article, Kouzes and Posner quote an anonymous poem, recited by Thomas Likona, to illustrate this point:

Individuals Act, Organizations Create Cultures

People are the engines that drive organizations. An organization’s productivity hinges upon the quality of work given by its workers. An organization’s impact on society depends upon the decisions of its leaders.

Individual actions shape organizational outcomes. Companies don’t give to the community without individuals choosing to be generous. Neither do businesses exploit shareholders and partners without the selfish actions of individuals. Corporate credibility relies on individual character.

However, organizations do develop cultures, and these are highly contagious. A culture of honesty and transparency positively pressures employees to act ethically, whereas a culture of corruption begets deceit. As Kouzes and Posner write, “The behavior that is modeled becomes the behavior that is followed.”

Our System Is Based on Trust

Before 9/11, we flew the friendly skies with little concern for our safety. In the aftermath of the incident, airport security tightened to levels never before seen. To regain our trust, the Federal Aviation Administration had to adjust the measures taken to ensure passengers entering flights had been screened for weapons or other dangerous materials.

Just as trust is the bedrock of the airline industry, so to business must be transacted with an underlying foundation of trust. Early in the 21st Century, in the wake of widespread corporate scandals, good faith has been replaced by strict regulations. Where an executive’s word once sealed a deal, laws and safeguards have been implemented to protect us from fraud.

Once trust has been broken, restoring credibility takes extra effort. Leaders must learn to earn trust and prize it dearly.

The Legacy You Leave Is the Life You Lead

Deeds supersede creeds. Credibility is not founded upon intentions but on actions. Leaders inspire when they clearly articulate a message in words, but they etch their message in the hearts of those they lead when they model it day by day.

Hypocrisy is the trap door of a leader’s credibility. Fakes and phonies have a short shelf life in leadership, because when their credibility plummets, they have no platform of respect from which to lead.

You Can Make a Difference

Despite leaders who exploit, leaders who misinform, and leaders who control, people still crave leadership. In particular, people long for leaders who demonstrate character, who are willing to serve those they lead, and who operate with their team’s best interests in mind. As such, leaders who build their credibility and are willing to shoulder responsibility will always attract a following.

Now, like never before, character and credibility are essential to leadership. The great part is that you can make a difference. You can change the leadership culture by diligently attending to y our character. You can lead effectively by earning and leveraging credibility.

To read more from leadership experts James Kouzes and Barry Posner, visit www.i-lead.com/articles/article023.html.

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We’ve all faced relational challenges in the workplace. Whether working with an exacting boss, insensitive teammate, or forgetful follower, the behavior of those around us trigger emotions that threaten our well-being.

Contentment at work is tied to our emotional health in the office. Human relationships generate emotions, and people are imperfect. At some point, a coworker will irritate or infuriate us with their behavior. How we respond affects our joy on the job.

In a recent release, Katherine Crowley and Kathi Elster attempt to steer us away from the emotional black holes in the workplace. Their book, Working with You is Killing Me gives suggestions for controlling our feelings and avoiding the traps of negative emotions.

Like an unsuspecting fish caught on a lure, we easily find ourselves hooked on negative emotions. Once they’ve snared us, they drag us through the day. We try to wiggle free, but we’re stuck.

Boiling within us, negative emotions disrupt our day. They lodge within our chests and simmer into stress. They induce headaches, impair our work, and are nearly inescapable.

To discard destructive emotions, look no farther than page 5 of Working with You is Killing Me. The authors give 4 simple steps by which we “unhook” from negative feelings:

1. Unhook Physically
2. Unhook Mentally
3. Unhook Verbally
4. Unhook with a Business Tool

This process is repeated time after time in the examples given by the authors. These examples cover a wide range of situations, and chances are that a few of them will very closely mirror the work experiences of the reader.

Given the situational aspect of leadership, Chapters 4 and 5 challenge readers to become experts at situation-sensing and adaptability so that they can read and relate to shifting contexts. “Leaders are not passive recipients of the context. On the contrary, they work with their followers to socially construct an alternative reality.”

Chapter 2 deals with building protective boundaries in our lives at work. These limits shield us from being “hooked.”

LW subscribers will want to take a look at Chapter 3 related to roles. We gravitate toward certain roles based on our temperaments. Naturally comfortable, our roles can become confining and hook us into a pattern of behavior if we aren’t careful.

When a colleague who once intrigued us proves to be an emotional parasite, we seldom know how to distance ourselves relationally. On pages 86-90, Crowley and Elster give advice for breaking free from unhealthy attractions in the workplace.

Effective principles for managing up (pages 108-117) and managing down (pages 156-162) highlight the second half of the book. Pointers are given to navigate difficult bosses and to motivate hard-to-manage employees.

We can’t prevent emotions. We’re human, and we feel. Certain behaviors from those around us spark feelings in us that are unavoidable. How we manage our emotions plays a significant role in the enjoyment we derive from our employment. Working with You is Killing Me offers sound advice for escaping emotional pitfalls and makes for a worthwhile and instructive read.

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“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.”
~ John F. Kennedy

“Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.”
~ Abigail Adams

“Learn as if you were going to live forever. Live as if you were going to die tomorrow.”
~ Mahatma Gandhi

“Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand.”
~ Chinese Proverb

For more information on Dr. John C. Maxwell, please visit our web site by clicking here.

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