I started out with wanting to title this blog post – Connected Leadership. But, when I Binged it – that term was already used and there even is a book. I was hoping that I may have thought of something that was may have been missed. That would have been nice, but unrealistic. Connected Leaders are the only leaders I will follow. When I state, connected leaders – it is not the ones that are connected to someone at the top that is helping them. I mean the leader that is connected to their organization, the industry and people. It is so much easier to follow a person that has the organization and their people in their minds eye first. Having deep conversations with the folks. Allowing the organization to challenge themselves and strive for the prize. That is the environment I want to be a part of. I get to go to work and produce! It is where work just does not feel like work.
Old Leadership styles and patterns are still around. The leader that is leading for themselves or for their mentor only have got to change. People today are not into being told what to do, how to do it and when it has to be done – all the time. We all know there are times that this approach has to be the case. It has to be the exception and not the rule. Setting expectations and guidance have replaced the dictator mentality of the past.
I enjoy watching and learning from everyone that I come in contact with. I take the good, the bad and the ugly in everyone – and file away what I want to do and be, rather than spend any time on the not to side. I spend a great deal of time trying to be the leader that my team needs, my peers want to be around and the person that is me. Being connected is important. Someone asked me today, “why are you almost always happy?” The simple answer was “I am only trying to make the best of everything. Makes the day too long if you are unhappy.” I try to surround myself in positive energy and hopefully that rubs off! That is the example that I want to set.
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