It’s well known I dislike bosses-but I love leaders, the two are very different.
One wears a fake title and carries around clipboards pretending to lead, the other earns respect along the way by their actions and their deeds.
The boss can be the one who tells you to do things that often they cannot do. The leader will encourage you to do something they have already shown you they can do and they have confidence in you to do it well too, and will stick with you until you do manage it.
The boss will blame you entirely when things go wrong, the leader will take full responsibility as ultimately they will not have given you the full tools or confidence or both to get the task done.
The boss will go to play golf on a friday or away for a long weekend even when you have a deadline to meet or project to finish, the leader will be leading from the front, getting their hands dirty and leading the charge to get things done BEFORE time no matter what-no excuses.
There was a time in our lives when someone would leave school, have constant promotions because “they had been there a long time” with no regard for their ability or impact they were having in the organisation.
They would call meetings already knowing the outcome, but pretend they were “consulting” staff.
Leaders don’t waste time on endless meetings, they lead with clarity and get you onboard early to fully believe in the mission, they will admit when they are wrong early and take all the flak for it, they will re-adjust quickly and set course on the new path that will get them to the right destination and they will learn quickly from that chastening experience.
The leader is the one who cleans the business early and makes surgical cleanliness seem like routine-a true artist in my book and a leader you cannot do without.
The leader at the gym is the one who never asks someone else what they can’t do themselves.
The leader at the gym is also the individual who often arrives very unfit, often with a string of health conditions, but overcomes all of those battles, often gets off all medication and becomes the shining light at the gym who radiates positivity, inspiration and character to all of those around them wanting to change themselves so much, who are maybe at the start of their journeys but struggling in so many ways-that’s true leadership-leading by example.
No room for bosses with us, but we love having MANY leaders amongst us and members becoming leaders through their amazing deeds and action often against the odds over time.
