5 Pitfalls of an Effective Leader #5 Leadership is limited to a position

Over the course of the next month, I will attempt to unpack 5 common pitfalls that limit the effectiveness of a leader. I don’t claim to be the voice for all leaders or leadership principles, nor am I situating myself as the guru (not by any means) on the leadership market. Rather, through these 5 posts, I will try and articulate what I’ve learned in my leadership walk, through my own experiences and from the lessons of those around me. If you can take a grain of what I express and make it work for you, then we’re winning!

#5
Leadership is limited to a position

This is perhaps one of the main pitfalls I have seen in my community and within my nation in terms of understanding what leadership is. We’ve been taught through societal expectations that influence can only be transmitted when you have a job at the band office or when you are elected to council. This couldn’t be more inaccurate and damaging!Positions can be granted in a moment, but leadership is developed over time. Although many devoted people work hard their entire lives to occupy positions of influence, they are just that: invested time and effort. Positions are most realized in terms of leadership, when you are able to influence others for the better. It’s a platform that can add volume to your voice but doesn’t necessarily give you a voice. Within my community, specifically, the most effective and influential leaders have been community members who had their own jobs apart from their influence. That doesn’t mean the two can’t be synonymous or workable, but what it does mean is that these wonderful people are able to steer the ship without a formal position. This means all of us can be leaders, and not just the positional! One of my mentors told me she was the most effective in making positive community change when she was absent from a formal position of leadership, and believe me when I say, she has accomplished much for our nation! The other side of the positional pitfall coin is that a person can start believing that he or she is a bonafide, anointed, well-groomed leader as soon as he or she lands a position. The opposite is usually true. Directing people because it’s your responsibility, and their job depends on it, isn’t necessarily leadership.  Leadership comes with time and experience. Positions are the opportunity to amplify your voice and are a possible platform for administrative or policy change (depending on how your community is structured). A person may already have a natural ability to lead and get the job done, but that still doesn’t mean that they have years of community-building clout to which others have dedicated hours upon hours. Positional leadership actually has the potential to stunt your effectiveness. I have a friend who has been doing workshops in communities for years and everybody knows who he is and what he offers. More importantly, his years of service has proven him to be effective. This changed when he was elected as a council member for his community. As he worked in his elected position, his effectiveness was bogged down by ineffective systems (politics can be complicated), and by the fact that he was preoccupied with political nuances. As a result of the incumbrance, his effectiveness was hindered during his time in office. After his brief political episode, he went back to his passion of doing grass roots work and has since returned to the realm of unbridled effectiveness. If you happen to be an effective leader and you also happen to have a position of sorts, then fear not, because both can cohabit if you are purposeful (and if it’s possible and plausible) about their coexistence.