Marathon runners are rugged athletes. But usually they are not leaders; they compete alone.
Leadership is a team work . It means getting everyone involved in reaching the goal.
Leaders do more than direct individuals. They build a team. They gather the separate strengths and abilities of individuals and incorporate them into a working unit.
Leaders have both personal goals and the organisational goals. They strive to excel individually, but their greatest delight is helping the whole team achieve.
Leaders understand the importance of good communication. They know that the purpose of the team is mere paper until the team members objectify it. They know that without the team members’ interaction, communication the work will be disjointed and the team mates will be divided.
Leaders build morale and create community. They keep the mood positive. They never discourage the teammates. They complement and praise individual and team efforts. They celebrate victories and share setbacks. Good leaders take a little more than their share of the blame, a little less than their share of the credit. They recognize outstanding achievements because they know that propelling one of the team members forward will push the rest of the team to achieve more.
A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say we did it ourselves.
Leadership is 1% of leader and 99% of team work .
Ashok Mahajan
Director, Rotary international (2007-09)
Trustee, The Rotary Foundation (2009-13)
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