How to SHOW Leadership

Our website explores new thinking on leadership, especially on how to show leadership rather than on how to be a leader when managing a team. Everyone can show some leadership occasionally. You can show leadership up, down and sideways with no positional authority. Even if you're a formal leader in charge of a team, you may learn some new leadership styles and ways to lead with more impact.

You can show leadership in any of these three ways:

  1. Promoting a better way, product or service - advocating change, even quietly if you have good evidence.
  2. Leading by example, going first, being the best (all employees and independents can lead by example)
  3. Engaging leadership, drawing ideas for a better way out of others (by asking engaging questions)

Showing leadership is based on defining leadership, not as a type of person, but in terms of its purpose or function:  The purpose or function of leadership is to gain the commitment of people to a course of action, goal or vision. Nothing is implied by this definition about being in charge of the people you lead.

See Three Kinds of Leadership for more on the above three ways of leading. See Engaging Leadership on using engaging questions to lead. Check out Selling Engaging leadership on how to convince others of its value. Also Engaging Questions for a wider selection of engaging questions. Asking engaging questions is like active listening although more proactive - on this topic see Proactive Listening.

Partnerships are much more important today. What is the connection between leadership and partnership? Sometimes you need to use a directive leadership style, when an engaging style is not as appropriate. See Directive Leadership.

There's confusion over the meanings of leadership and management. For a fresh effort to differentiate them, see Leadership or Management. It is arguable that leadership cannot be be defined as a role, but only as a form of influence. See Leadership, Not a Role.

For many, an ideal leader is a kind of father figure, a person who takes charge of a group, guides and reassures us while giving us a sense of purpose. It is argued here that this is an obsolete concept of leadership. For arguments on this issue, see The Ideal Leader.

Some Leadership Techniques

We all know the value of recognition to motivate people. See Celebrating Success for tips on how to help people feel valued. Are you interested in new ways to manage your boss? See Managing Your Boss. A key tactic in building relationships with new colleagues or partners is to show interest in them. For tips on how to do this, see Showing Interest. On how to use engaging questions to resolve conflict, see Conflict Resolution.

For earlier thoughts on How to Show Leadership

Other topics in these pages include how to raise your confidence and how to be happier.

Improving your Confidence

  • Most people base their confidence on their ability to do things or offer good solutions.
  • This is limited because no one person can know much in a fast changing, complex world.
  • Supplement your desire to offer your own solutions by asking engaging questions to draw solutions out of others.
  • Shared solutions makes for better relationships, due to shared ownership.
  • Selling your ideas can work but it's harder for others to feel your level of commitment.
  • Asking engaging questions builds your confidence because the same questions apply regardless of the subject.
  • It's easier to ask engaging questions, being a facilitator or catalyst, rather than an answer-giver.

If you feel on the spot to give an answer, ask 'What would you like to see happen?' Or: "What would be your preferred option?' Or: 'How would it work for you if we did X instead of Y?' The beauty of engaging questions is that the same questions can be asked over and over again. Easier way to feel confident than to have answers ready for every occasion.

Being Happier

  • It's partly about doing the things you enjoy most.
  • It's also about your attitude.
  • Try to believe that you won the greatest possible lottery prize.
  • The greatest possible lottery prize is being born.
  • You have the unique opportunity to live rather than not.
  • This attitude can help you feel better about your life.

For more on improving your confidence, see Your Confidence.

Building on the idea of cultivating a positive attitude for greater happiness, see Feeling Fortunate.

NEW: Being an Executive