Who doesn’t want to be a leader? There are hundreds, even thousands, of blog posts, books, and articles about how anyone can become a leader. Recruiters search for people with leadership qualities to fill even entry-level positions, and good luck getting promoted if your performance review does not include the phrase “demonstrates leadership”. But here’s the rub: leadership is not something to be taken so flippantly. Leadership difficulties can catch you off-guard if you’re not prepared.
I think it goes without saying that leadership is hard, but there is so much more to leadership than that.
Being a leader involves much more than leading other people; it requires a lifestyle that, quite frankly, does not fit everyone.
That is not to say that we should discourage people from becoming better leaders, but our leaders should know what leadership has in store for them. This post will describe just four of the difficulties faced by leaders.
1. Leaders are lonely.
It’s lonely at the top of the pyramid. Now, most leaders are not all the way at the top of their organizations or not even necessarily in a position of leadership (more about this in an upcoming post), but they are at the top of their respective pools.
People are naturally attracted to leaders, but tend to congregate with their peers.
In other words, leaders are normally well-liked and respected, but are rarely invited to social gatherings outside of the workplace. If you are taking on a leadership role, be prepared to suffer for it socially. And you need to be okay with that.
2. Leaders are responsible.
When things go wrong, you are the one who has to answer for it. Regardless of whether you are actually responsible for an outcome, you must take responsibility for whatever happens under your watch. If your team is held to a strict deadline, it is your responsibility to make sure that it is met. If someone on your team drops the ball, it is up to you to fix it. I cannot tell you the number of times I have had to do extra work to make up for someone else’s mistake in order to ensure a project is finished on time.
3. Leaders go first.
This seems obvious, but leaders lead. That means that leaders go first.
That means that leaders have to get their hands dirty.
Whether you are the CEO of a Fortune 500 Company or the manager at your local gas station, you cannot ask your employees to stay late to work overtime on a project if you have not already cancelled your dinner plans. Though being the first one in the door in the morning and the last one to leave at night may seem simple enough, bear in mind that leadership is not just about showing up, it is about working your butt off.
Leadership is 90% perspiration.
4. Leaders rarely receive recognition.
If you want a career in the spotlight, leadership is not for you. Sure, there are some leaders who are publicly recognized. Steve Jobs comes to mind, or Tim Cook, the past and current CEOs of Apple Inc. But what about Phillip W. Schiller? Ever heard of him? He is the marketing director at Apple Inc., and the man behind the public image that is Apple. So, if you have an iPhone or iPad or iWatch or iPod, your product’s packaging, display, and branding were all designed by a team under Schiller’s leadership. Almost everyone in North America has experienced the branding power of Schiller’s team, but most have never heard of him.
Leaders rarely receive recognition, even from the very people whose lives they affect.
Dynamic lessons
After reading all this, there is a very simple conclusion: nobody should ever want to be a leader. This is, however, the wrong conclusion. What you should take away from this is that leadership is sacrificial. You will not just have to work hard and give up your time; you will have to make sacrifices that might seem like too much. But if leadership was easy, everyone would do it.
Leadership is not about the easy way; it’s about doing it the right way. You will never attain your leadership goals if you aren’t ready to make sacrifices.
What kinds of sacrifices have you made to be a leader? Are they worth it?
