Leadership Is Action Not Position Essay Example

things happen. Gilfoyle pointed to three key characteristics of leadership-in-action:

1. The action is other focused: “How can I help people succeed? ”

2. It is future oriented: “I know we are focused on this phase of the project but how does it connect with the end result we are after? ”

3. It is client focused. “How is that going to look from our client’s perspective? How will it help them with their business goals? ” At the heart of leadership is the urge to get things moving and to take the initiative to help. When someone in a peer role takes a leadership approach it is just as effective or even more effective then leadership exercised by a figure of authority. Taking a leadership approach, regardless of your position in the firm or organization, will engender respect.

You will be perceived as having leadership qualities. You will provide a huge value to the people around you. Gilfoyle told me that he has given this approach to leadership the “acid test” with law firm partners. He asked them how they would respond to associates demonstrating leadership in this way and the response was overwhelmingly positive. Gilfoyle also told me that in his experience even when just a small percentage of the staff of an organization take on this leadership approach the quality of the work and productivity are both greatly enhanced.

In our turbulent times this approach to leadership is as more important then ever. Gilfoyle shared with me his thoughts on the vital role of leadership in the current economic environment climate: We could all sit back and take

a victim mentality, and with the state of the world right now who could blame us, but it is important to realise that we are not doomed. Rather it is that the environment in which we live and work has changed. Our job is to figure out how to make the most from this changed environment and discover how we can create value for our clients, our organizations and ourselves.

You don’t have to be the President of the United States to become engaged in the process and to demonstrate leadership. We all have the capacity to contribute. You don’t need to read about it, or sign up for an advanced leadership training program. Gifolyle reflected: We can all get far too cerebral, intellectual and mystical even about leadership. It really is just about what we do. It’s behavioural. It’s a choice we make each day. “I think I can help here. I am going to take a chance and see what I can do to move things along. ”

Leadership is quite simply about choice and behaviour. The best start is to test it out. Give it a try and see what happens. (Authors note: For more examples of putting leadership into action check out Christina Bielaszka-DuVernay’s post to the Harvard Management Update: “How to Lead When You are Not the Boss”. She provides a summary of the five key leadership actions outlined in the book Lateral Leadership: Getting Things Done When You're Not the Boss (2nd ed. , Profile Books, 2004), by Harvard negotiation specialist Roger Fisher and coauthor Alan Sharp. )