Leadership is a Process

 

“The leader has to be practical and a realist, yet must talk
the language of the visionary and the idealist.”
--Eric Hoffer        

 

I do not know Eric Hoffer, but in this quote, he has nailed one of the key challenges of leadership.  Great leaders must be able to relate to all types of people and personalities.  They are capable of thinking and communicating in styles other than their natural personalities.  I consider myself a very practical and pragmatic leader.  That makes it my challenge to relate well to visionaries and non-detail people.  In order to be a good leader, I must be able to understand people who think and see the world differently than I do.  Great leaders adapt their style.  Static leaders become non-leaders. 

 

What are you doing to adjust your leadership style to situations and personalities?

 

Optimist/Pessimist

I would not describe myself as a wild eyed optimist.  Some might think of me as more of as a bit of a pessimist.  At least that is what my kids and some of my more entrepreneurial employers have told me.  I like to consider myself more of a realist.  I like to know all the possible outcomes and understand all of my options.  I like to have backup plans in place.  I like to understand the downside risk in situations.  Maybe those things do make me pessimistic, I don’t know.  I do know that the ability to see opportunities in the face of challenges is a virtue.  In times like these it is a virtue we should all strive to possess.  While realism is a good thing in troubling times, it takes optimism and hope to get through such times.  There are opportunities out there, even in these difficult times!  

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity;

an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty

--Sir Winston Churchill

Leadership is a Process

The leader has to be practical and a realist, yet must talk 

the language of the visionary and the idealist.
--Eric Hoffer        

I do not know Eric Hoffer, but in this quote he has nailed one of the key challenges of leadership.  Good leaders must be able to relate to all types of people and personalities.  Good leaders are capable of thinking and communicating in styles other than their natural personalities.  I consider myself a very practical and pragmatic leader.  That makes it my challenge to relate to visionaries and non-detail people.  In order to be a good leader I must be able to understand people who think and see the world differently than I do.  Great leaders adapt their style.  Static leaders become non-leaders.  What are you doing to adjust your leadership style to situations and personalities?