“The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority.” ~Ken Blanchard
Years ago I was talking with a business owner about titles and he said to me, “Jay I don’t give people titles, because titles give them the impression they have authority and I don’t want them to have authority and in-turn forget who the real boss is.”
I never gave titles for authority reasons, I gave them for organizational reasons. I can remember for years having two or three titles myself in order to serve the purpose of what I was doing.
If you are utilizing titles to represent who has and who doesn’t have authority then you’ve not only got the reason for titles screwed up but you’ve totally lost touch with what leadership is all about.
The greatest leaders have the ability to influence. Walk into any organization and you can tell pretty quickly whether or not the organization is being run by influence or authority.
Organizations run by influence have a feeling of trust and teamwork. Organizations run by authority have a feeling of suspicion and selfishness. If you walk into an organization and you feel both…Houston we’ve got problems…as we have a non-leader in an authoritative leadership position…these leaders need training if they are going to make it.
Companies need to decide what they are going to lead with, authority or influence, otherwise a “schizophrenic” environment evolves. You can’t have both and I know for a fact our younger generation thrives when they are motivated through influence not authority.
Leaders who lead by influence are often found leading from behind as the energy created by this leadership style propels and motivates the team. Leaders who lead by authority are often found leading from the front and expending enormous amounts of personal energy authoritatively dictating to the troops what needs to be done.
Leaders who lead by influence, although leading from behind most of the time are found in front when the going gets tough. Authoritative leaders often come up missing when the going gets tough.
If you are struggling with your ability to lead or you have a need to lead and you are not getting the job done I suggest you choose to read, study, and follow the direction of “authorities” on influential leadership: Jesus (Read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the Bible), John Maxwell and Ken Blanchard (read all of their books if you can) and/or Stephen Covey (The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People).
P.E.A.C.E.
Jay@EagleLaunch.com
Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
