People Power - June 2008

By Scott Humphrey

There seems to be a shortage of everything these days. Just visit your local grocer and you will find that prices have risen dramatically on many of our everyday staples: bread, milk, rice, etc. If you dare to ask why, the inevitable response is supply and demand. It’s a sign of the times at the grocer and a phase in the business cycle in our world. Most people grumble quietly about the impact that our current economic situation will have on their world, as they dare to hope for a better tomorrow.

But if you look around, you don’t have to look far to realize that we have another shortage, and this is a shortage of epic proportion. This shortage is much harder and much more costly to endure. Because of its sheer nature, it impacts all of us in a wide variety of ways. The shortage I am speaking of is a shortage of leadership.

You may note that I did not say we have a shortage of leaders. Any glance at the news from a local or national media outlet will tout individual after individual as a “Community Leader” or “Leader in the Field of _______.” The title “leader” is thrown around like peanuts at a baseball game, but being called a leader does not make you one.

The daunting challenge of a deficiency in leadership.

Living in a ten-foot wide trailer with a picture of the vice president of the United States hanging over your naugahyde couch (Hubert Humphrey, vice president from 1965-1969 was my grandfather’s first cousin) will leave an impression on you. Growing up we all dream of what we will be one day. I went through all of the phases of fireman, policeman, soldier, but the one dream that outweighed them all was a desire to be president. I was and am a big admirer of Teddy Roosevelt.

Originally it was just about the position and the power. But as I grew older it was about impacting the world for good, about daring to speak up in regards to injustice, about the courage to take a stand because it was right, not just because it was popular, about helping others see that free handouts aren’t really free, about helping them understand the value of independence and interdependence over dependence.

My intent in this article is not to discuss politics. My intent is to help you understand how you can be the leader that others will want to follow by modeling a lifestyle and business style of leadership.

Let’s face it, “leader” is a stagnant title. Leadership is active. Leadership says, “Look what we are accomplishing.” Leadership shouts, “Join in, there is a place for you.” Leadership cries out, “You can!”

So let’s take a look at what leadership is and is not.

Leadership is not a title
Putting the words CEO, senator, congressman, president, manager, etc., before your name does not make you a leader!

Allow me to get on my high horse for a minute. I sometimes get a bit ticked at those who walk around with an attitude of superiority because of a word or series of words following their name. Everything inside me wants to pull them aside and remind them that people don’t follow words. I want to help them understand that the loyalty they think they garner from their people is in reality loyalty to a paycheck. I want to lean forward and clearly whisper, in the way that makes everyone stop to listen, “People don’t care who your mom and dad are. They want to know what you have done to earn the title leader.”

Leadership is not about your title. It’s about your character, your integrity, and your passion for the betterment of yourself and those around you.

Leadership is not a gender issue
There have been men and women throughout the ages who have modeled leadership. Yet so often, I see people attempting to make this a gender issue. The ability to act for the good of others has nothing to do with being male or female. It has everything to do with your propensity for action, your willingness to stand, your determination to matter. I think of the impact that Margaret Thatcher has had on our world and the cause of freedom because of her willingness to stand alongside another truly great leader, Ronald Reagan.

A few years ago, after a conference on global leadership, I had the privilege of spending a few minutes alone with Benazir Bhutto. Bhutto was the first woman elected to lead a Muslim state, having twice been prime minister of Pakistan (1988-1990 and 1993-1996). She was the consummate leader, a woman who felt her purpose in living would not be fulfilled unless she acted for the betterment of her home country, Pakistan. That determination cost her her life on December 27 last year when she was assassinated.

Leadership is not about gender, it’s about an unquenchable desire to make a difference in one’s business, home, community, country and world.

Leadership is not a slogan
It seems every election someone uses a slogan that centers on the need for “change.” I dare to ask, “Change to what?” It is not about what you want as a leader that makes me follow you. It is about what you can do.

The best predictor of future performance is past performance.

Anyone can hire a good marketing team to come up with a catchy slogan. What matters is your ability to accomplish change; change for the better. If you want to convince your people that you are all about this type of positive change, dare to set goals and cast a vision. Allow those around you to hold you accountable.

Leadership is not a slogan; it is a record of accomplishment and a history of betterment for oneself and others.

Leadership is not a speech
Being a great speaker does not make one a great leader. Leadership is formed away from the limelight but becomes visible to all through reputation. This is a reputation that is rarely touted by the leader, but often touted by those who have been impacted by that person’s leadership.

Here are two questions to help you determine if you are a leader. When you look back, do you see people willingly following you? Do you have to remind your people that you are the leader?

Leadership is not about what you can do
Finally, let me close with what I believe is the most important quality of leadership, the ability to attract winners to your team. Great leaders always attract great people; people of integrity, people of like-minded focus, people of action. Most promises we hear leading up to a presidential election are hopes at best, they become reality when the team is formed that can and will get the desired result.

Great leadership is not about the ability to do it all. It is about the ability to surround yourself with people who can!

Since you will have this in hand before July 4, please allow me to close with this point.

If you want to see leadership modeled, look to Iraq, look to Afghanistan, look to the theaters of the world where our armed forces represent the ideals of freedom. You want to talk about action. These honorable men and women get up every day with one focus…one action in mind: Defending freedom, yours, mine, and even those who don’t believe as they do. They dare to fight under the flag that others trample and burn. Their action speaks volumes. They live lives of leadership.

Several years ago I was in the Dallas-Fort Worth airport waiting on a flight. My concentration was broken when an elderly man next to me stood up and began to applaud. This naturally caught my attention. I immediately saw the focus of his attention. Walking through the gate area were two soldiers. I was moved by this man’s example. The next time he stood to applaud, I stood with him. During the course of the next 30 minutes, we probably stood and applauded five times as groups of soldiers came through. By the last time, everyone who could stand was standing. That elderly gentleman got it. In his attempt to honor those who best model leadership, he himself became a leader.

My hope for you is that you too will dare to stand and model a life of leadership!

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