Leadership would be so much simpler if it didn’t involve people, wouldn’t it?
People, however, are the reason leadership is necessary. As business owners, it is a skill we should treat seriously because it’s essential.
You can study leadership, or you can learn the hard way through experience, by trial and error, which is not the best way to learn.
I saw this quote in an aviation magazine: “Experience is life’s best teacher as long as you have the brains to get it second hand“.
The author was alluding to the fact that some experiences in aviation are fatal, so it is wiser to learn from the experience of others, from actual fatalities or near misses, instead of replicating those experiences for yourself.
So while lessons can be learnt through trial and error, those errors can be costly in team morale, your reputation, and loss of good people.
The good news is that leadership can be learned. That is, if you study it.
Do you study leadership? What leadership book are you reading now?
As you enjoy a little downtime over the Christmas period, if you do not regard yourself as much of a reader, give some thought to reading just one good book on leadership over the break.
I guarantee that if you apply the lessons, your leadership will improve, and so will your relationship with your team, their results, and eventually your profit.
I am not implying that you are not a good leader. But we can all improve, and if you have not read many leadership books lately, or ever, there is a wealth of knowledge available to make you better.
After all, we expect our people to improve, don’t we? Lead the way!
Here are some leadership books I recommend for holiday reading:
- The Leadership Challenge – Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner
- Encouraging the Heart – Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner
- Coaching Salespeople Into Sales Champions – Keith Rosen
- Up Your Business – Dave Anderson
- Legacy – James Kerr
- Hundred Percenters – Mark Murphy
These are just a few to get you started. There are thousands of good leadership books. Do you have a favourite? Please let me know.
Thank you for taking time to read my articles this past year. Wishing you and your family all the best for Christmas and a happy new year.
Gary Pittard