The Reluctant Leader: How to Step Up to Leadership
Posted: Monday, February 01, 2010
by Colin Gautrey
The Gautrey Group
Mary asks, "Our group needs leadership and I'd like to do it but am a little cautious. How can I do this?" There are many ways to do this, here are a few ideas.
The great news is that your caution can be your greatest asset. Rather than blunder into the leadership role you are naturally thinking about it carefully. This approach can really help you to make clear decisions and think through likely reactions, and how to respond to them. However, you do need to find a way of moving to action after due consideration. To much time thinking, worrying and planning and your moment of opportunity may pass you by.
Define Leadership
There are lots of models out there which can tell you what leadership is, what it is not and these are all great stimulation for you. What you can do here is define what it means to you in your situation. The more precise you can describe what you would, could and should be doing as a leader, the more comfortable you can feel stepping up. It is important to state here the sort of things you would say and do in the leadership position.
Risk vs. Reward
Now you need to get clear about what's in it for you. If you move up and are successful, what will you gain, what will the group gain? What could the group lose? What's the downside for you? Be realistic but think widely about how everyone could benefit from you succeeding. This is a great way of generating the motivation to take the brave step of putting yourself forward to lead the group. It is also worth keeping this because when the going gets tough, as it will, you can quickly recap this thinking to give yourself a timely boost.
Plan of Action
So assuming you've decided it's the right thing to do, that it's worth it, now you need to find a range of simple actions to get moving. Don't plan to change the world. You may well do in the long run, but right now, the important thing is to get moving without delay and with low risk actions. Since you've defined leadership earlier, perhaps this can help you to identify things you can do today. Incidentally, you don't necessarily have to call it leadership, you could just put forward an idea which you think the group will agree is worth working on for instance, discussing and agreeing your priorities for the year.
Get Support
There are few leaders who can do it along. If you are feeling a little cautious, take a look around you at people you can trust, would one of them be a good person to support you personally as you venture forth into the unknown? The person you identify is likely to be someone outside of the group you want to lead. This way they can offer help and advice without having a vested interest or an axe to grind. If they know you well they'll also be equipped to say the right thing at the right time to get you moving, to pick you up if things don't go according to plan and help you think through the challenges you will face.
Keep Learning
Don't stop reading and learning about the subject. You don't have to go on expensive courses. But you do need to stimulate your thinking as you learn by doing the leadership role. Find books which can help you see problems in a new light. Often the simple ones are the most effective just make sure and keep learning!
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Now that I am retired I am giving myself a gift - it is that of not being in charge or a leader - I run the house now and that's more than enough for me - your piece had some good points to ponder!
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