So, for years I’ve said that I’m not an artist. What I’m referring to is the fact that I don’t paint, play a musical instrument, or design stuff. But recently I’ve begun to seriously rethink this statement because the more I understand about leadership the more of an art-form I realize it is.
Leadership, like art, requires technique, skill, and most of all creativity. It takes a certain touch by a master craftsman to lead people in the right direction and more importantly to figure out what that direction is.
The key to all of this, of course, is people. Unlike an artist, I can’t get there alone. The craft of leadership cannot be done in isolation. Effective leaders without other people are by definition, not leaders.
Jim Collins in his business classic, “Good to Great” talks about getting the right people on the bus. The idea is that if you get the right people on the bus it almost doesnt matter what you are trying to accomplish, the right people will get you there. Of course most of us have experienced the opposite as well; get the wrong people on the bus and even the most simple task becomes unattainable.
So the question is, how do I pick the right people. What criteria am I using to select my team? Ask yourself that question.
I’ll give you my thoughts and some links to some great leaders on this topic in my next post…
