What is a Leader?

All of the best aspects of my life can be traced back to being in leadership positions. Being a leader will open up life to you a way that is deeper, more profound and more exciting than you can possibly imagine right now. Leaders change the world. Leaders are willing to look after their people. Leaders are people who can mold and shape the future in a very tangible way.

Leadership not easy, and it’s certainly not for everyone, but if you really want to make an impact and help our world, then read on…

Why you should become a leader?

To be frank, because the world needs great leaders. Without them people will demonstrate poor or ineffective leadership, and everyone will suffer. Perhaps you see it in your current workplace: your boss is horrible to you, or you think, this could be done so much better. The second law of thermodynamics, the law of entropy states that without intervention, things will fall apart over time and dissolve. Without great leaders, this is exactly what could happen to our world.

But we are not going to think like that, we are willing to step up, to be leaders, to look after things, care for people, keep communities together and to enable our people to grow!

Potential benefits of being a leader

So, here are 5 wonderful things that I have personally experienced through being in leadership positions over the past 22 years:

People will open up to you, trust you and you can create incredibly deep relationships
You can make a lot of money- this is very true. Whether that be gaining leadership or manger job positions at work or even running your own business, leaders get paid more.
You will have to master difficult skills: time management, emotional intelligence, compassion and empathy, creative and critical thinking, stress management. Leaders have to consistently up skill.
Personal growth- as a result of this, you will grow your character, skills and abilities to a WHOLE other level- imagine you are a 6 out of 10 right now, leadership can take you to over level 9000!
You can genuinely make an impact and improve the quality of other people’s lives. I have experienced this specifically in my work in the public, private and voluntary sectors- you can create the change that you want to see.

The 3 core pillars to build your leadership on

Now, in order to be a leader, you need to have deep core competencies that you can draw from and demonstrate each day. In my work training leaders, all of them who are great, have these 3- no matter which profession they lead in.

1 Vision and Values

You have to have a clear image in your head of where you want to go to, together with your people. And you need to have values- true moral guiding principles- which you believe in, such as integrity, innovation, respect or loving kindness, which will chart your moral course and keep you on track.

2 A Clear Concept

You must not confuse people with inconsistent ways and words as a leader. You must have an established framework, a system, a way of doing things. This is the how you are going to get to where you are leading your people.

3 Communication Skills

And you need to be a fantastic listener. This is just as important, if not more so, than your speaking abilities. You need to be able to hold your people close, and for them to feel that you understand them and their cares and concerns.

A Real Life World Class Leader- Luis Enrique and PSG

Here’s a simple example of a world class leader who demonstrated all 3 core leadership principles, Luis Enrique, the manger of the men’s football team Paris Saint German.

His vision was for them to win the champions league.
His values were: they all worked hard as a team, he was in charge, no big egos allowed.
His clear concept- high intensity, pressing, attacking football with a young, fit team.
His communication skills were shown in how every team member knew their roles and how to play- you could see this in how their steel remained consistent, no matter who they substituted and brought onto the pitch.

And what was the result of demonstrating these 3 leadership core pillars so well?

Not only did they win the champions league and achieve their vision- they won 5-0 in the final!

This the kind of result that you can achieve with your people if you apply what you are learning here today.

A Leadership Masterclass for you

I have made a very special video interview based Leadership Masterclass with my Father Kevin. It will take you on the full Leadership Journey, from new leader to senior leader and beyond. and give you his 51 years experience. You can watch the trailer and gain access to it here:

Kataholos Learning

And here is a suggested self study guide that you can use to start taking action and grow yourself as a leader this week.

Becoming a Leader- Week 1 Action Plan

Focus: to understand the topic of leadership

Read: The Kataholos Blog: What is a Leader?

Practice: talk to a friend or trusted colleague on how they see you as a leader

Watch: The Kataholos video: The Secret Formula for Extraordinary Leadership

Ask: Why do I want to be a leader?

Self Reflect: write down 3-10 insights that these actions have given you about you a a leader this week

Action: put these self study activities into your weekly calendars and goals for next week- so you have time to complete them

Closing Thoughts

Looking to grow yourself to get a job promotion, become and develop yourself as a leader, start a business or navigate an important change in your life? I offer personalized online training sessions on leadership, human connection, emotional intelligence, comfort zones and growth. To find out more for you or your team just send me a message.

WhatsApp: +44 7581412253

Email: michael@kataholos.co.uk

I wish you all the very best on your leadership journey!

Love and best wishes,