There are leaders among us who have the innate ability to lead the way for others to

succeed. Some leaders are obvious and right in front of us; others are found in unexpected ways
and places. Truly successful leaders find potential in others and allow them to shine without
feeling threatened, and true leadership has nothing to do with having a certain title or working
from the “corner office.”
Leaders can be found in our own homes, in small businesses, on city councils, in places of
worship, in school systems … everywhere…IF we take the time to look for them.
Yet, there are some practical skills needed in leading, and they can be quite different depending
on whether you are leading yourself, other individuals, groups or organizations — and on the
situation each is in.
Some view leadership as a series of specific traits or characteristics. Others see it as
comprised of certain skills and knowledge. And some, me included, think of leadership as a
process. This view of leadership, as a process, places an emphasis on social interaction and
relationship. This is the idea that leadership is a type of relationship, one that typically includes
influencing others in a certain direction.
Leadership is a relationship that involves the mobilizing, influencing, and guiding of others
toward desired goals. But it is much harder to tease out the components that determine their
success.
The one who leads us effectively must seem to understand our goals and purposes. He
must seem to be in a position to satisfy them; he must seem to understand the implications of his
own actions; he must seem to be consistent and clear in his decisions.
For followers to recognize their leader as he really is may be as difficult as it is for him to
understand them completely. Some of the worst difficulties in relationships between superiors
and subordinates come from misperceiving reality.
Leadership can be a struggle to develop, as there are intrinsic qualities that are tough to
cultivate.
When it comes to leading a team, you have to be willing to go out on a limb for your employees
to show you have their back. Exhibiting a genuine interest in your team’s well-being shows you
care and are willing to protect them when necessary.
As a leader, you should foster trust and cooperation. Leaders can paint a vision of the
future that inspires the team to do whatever it takes to get there.
 Be proactive in setting goals, as well as establishing the timelines — and deadlines —
necessary to keep yourself and your teams on track. The distractions that you face can make it
easy to lose sight of long-term and even short-term goals. You can easily get sucked into dealing
with urgent issues that arise unexpectedly rather than staying focused on producing the outcomes
that matter most to your organization. While no leader can completely avoid surprises, goal
setting provides a map that you can return to time and again to refocus on your top priorities
while handling other leadership challenges.
As 2020 draws to a close, I think of all the parents who have been leading their children
through an unprecedented time, even while managing their own uncertainty. I think of the
teachers who – without notice and on the fly – have had to lead their students to success via
video classrooms. I think of the small (and large) business owners/managers who had to innovate
new ways of doing business just to stay afloat as most of the country – even the world –
sheltered in place so as to not spread a contagious and largely unknown virus. They are leaders
as well.