Michael E. Parker Leadership KeyLeaders Work Smarter Not Harder.

While part of this is mantra may be true, it is somewhat misleading. Great leaders know their strengths and their weaknesses. That means they find people who excel in areas that they don’t and focus on the things that they are best at. Strong leaders are great at prioritizing and even better at making the best use of their talent and time. However, there is no substitute for hard work. The expression would be more accurate if it was “Leaders work smarter and harder”. Success as a leader takes time, discipline, courage, vision and opportunity. It’s not something that can happen overnight.

 

Great Leaders Are Born Not Made.

A common misconception is that some people are just born leaders. This is clearly a myth. Similar to the idea that one can get ahead justy by “working smarter”, genetics don’t determine whether or not someone is a leader. While many of the greatest leaders share a lot of qualities, it doesn’t mean that those can’t be learned. A lot of work goes behind the scenes in creating a great leader.

 

Leaders are Always Working

Over the last 20 years, technology has truly enabled a level of connection unlike any other time in history. By owning a smartphone, you are not only reachable at all times, but you are able to engage with anyone on all kinds of different platforms. This can be problematic for anyone trying to recharge outside of the office. This idea is especially persistent for leaders. The idea that they are always working, always connected to their business or cause. But the opposite is true. Real leaders know that they need to spend time away from their work in order to recharge, realign and rest.

 

Successful Leaders must be extroverts

Because there is often an element of visibility as a leader, people often assume that the best leaders must be extroverts. This isn’t true. Whether you are outgoing or more solitary, you can still lead. This aspect of your personality will show up in your time outside of work. And it doesn’t determine whether or not you will succeed or fail as a leader.

 

Your Job Title Reflects Your Leadership Skills

This is false. You can look at every level of a company and find examples of both good and bad leadership. Your title or ranking in a company doesn’t necessarily reflect your skill at leading others.True leadership is about influence and follow through.