“Leadership is about what we accomplish. Being a leader is what I do.”  Gordon Donaldson, my  doctoral advisor and mentor , offered these thoughts in his most recent work, How Leaders Learn: Cultivating Capacities for School Improvement (2008). Though his life’s work has been focused on being a leader and leadership within the context of schooling his wisdom works well in other contexts, whether it be politics, business, religion, medicine etc.. Being a leader in any field is about what the leader does or the act of  leading, however, leadership is measured by what we (constituents, followers, partners, collaborators, co-workers etc.) accomplish. This notion is consistent with new and emerging theories about leadership that emphasize that leadership is a relational process that emphasizes the mutual goals and motivations of both followers and leaders. Such reciprocal leadership theories promote the collective translation of organizational goals into purposeful, ethical and shared actions designed to bring about positive and the mutually desired outcomes. When this form of leadership is successful, Donaldson asserts, leadership is generated.

What does it mean to be leader? When asked this question my students and clients usually offer responses like:”being a role model”; “when a person inspires others to achieve goals”; “when someone uses power and influence to get things done” or ” a trusted person who successfully guides others”. These are all great answers, but from my perspective they miss a very critical piece of what it means to be a leader. These phrases tell us more about what a leader does than who a leader is. So let’s rephrase the question: Who is a leader? Who is this “role model”, “inspiring person”, this “powerful someone”, this “trusted guide”?

In my view the answer to this rather complex question lies within each of us, whether our role as leader is labeled C.E.O, physician, teacher, senator, accountant, air traffic controller, family services coordinator, investment counselor, sales representative, student, mother/father, daughter/son, sister/brother, grandmother/grandfather etc. I think you get the picture, in a real way, everyone has the potential to be an influential leader. Regardless of  how the ‘leadership role’ is defined, the essence of understanding who a leader is is about understanding the unique set of attributes, beliefs, talents and values found at the leader’s core. It’s about how these unique qualities, acquired through the meaning we each make from a diverse set of life experiences, are translated into the thoughts we think, the feelings we feel and ultimately the actions we take. The art and discipline of becoming a self leader is rooted in this notion. Everyone who wants to live a productive and fulfilling personal and professional life has the potential to get there by developing their abilities as a self leader and as a leader of others. Those who choose to be leaders of others, that is, those who choose to boldly and ethically use their power and influence to help others achieve positive goals, have not only the potential, but also, I believe, the responsibility define themselves as strong self leaders along the way.

Unfortunately, in our recent history many of our most powerful and influential leaders fail the test as leaders of others, largely because they have failed the test as self leaders. The self leadership platform upon which they stand is either void of purposeful and ethical commitment to constructive ideals or their commitment was eroded by the lure of greed, power and status.

What does it mean to be a leader? This question has been batted around for decades and the terms leader and leadership have eluded widely accepted and concise definition. This has been due to the fact that these terms are socially constructed phenomenon; that is, the meaning one makes is dependent upon the culture or context in which the phenomenon exists. Most would agree that an army general, Fortune 500 CEO, non-profit executive, pastor, director of career counseling and school principal are all leaders, but how they define their roles and how they measure their leadership success varies depending on the mission of their organizations and also, the unique attitudes, styles and beliefs they each bring to their work.

The first few posts in this blog will describe how I have come to understand the terms leader and leadership within the context of my approach to leader development.

In short, the LMME Blog is about the challenges, joys and secrets associated with leading and managing the most important organization you and I will ever lead and manage, the organization we each call “me” – aka “self”. In an effort to contribute to the advancement of self leadership, the purpose of this blog is to assist others in their quest to discover, and have, what they want most in work and life. This same purpose is at the core of what I have come to know as my own lifework brand.

Throughout my life I have been drawn by a calling of sorts. I have come to understand that this calling is guided by a passion to make a difference in the lives of others. I’ve stopped asking why the calling exists or where it comes from, I’ve have just accepted it as something that is – something I must act upon.

For me, it has boiled down to a desire to help people identify and achieve their dreams and ambitions -  an interest in helping others find clarity around the questions: “Who am I?” “What do I really want?” and then supporting and guiding them as they discover the inner and outer resources needed to attain “it” – whatever “it” may be. The creation of Leading and Managing Me blog represents my newest and most purposeful “next step”  in a life-long process of  following “the call”.

I’m not sure exactly where this journey will take me, or if anyone will have an interest in joining me , but one thing is clear – I have to embark. I welcome you to come along.