The Heartbeat of a Leader

Leadership Seems to be the buzz-word in business today.

We are entering a unique time in history with the baby boomers transitioning out of the workforce leaving a significant number of positions vacant, up to 50% according to the Census Bureau. With this knowledge, the question becomes – is the next generation of employees who are being groomed to fill these vacancies prepared to lead? If not, what will it take to prepare them?

What is the heartbeat of a leader… of an effective leader?

A heartbeat, a muscle approximately the size of your fist is the primary organ for keeping you alive.

According to the American Heart Association, your heart beats an average of 100,000 times each day pumping 2,000 gallons of blood.

With every beat, your heart sends blood surging out into your lungs to collect oxygen and out into your body to nourish cells, organs, and tissues through a system of blood vessels about 60,000 miles long.

Each and every heart beat is at the core of your very existence. So, what is at the very core of your leadership existence?

There are many possible answers to this question.

* Amazon.com lists over 40,000 books on the topic of leadership.
* A GoogleTM search will result in 143 million sites regarding leadership.
* The Library of Congress…just shy of 9,000 books, some of which date back to George Washington’s leadership.
* John C. Maxwell, an industry guru on leadership has written more than 30 books on the topic.

It is evident the topic of leadership is a major component in the personal, professional, and organizational growth of the for-profit and not-forprofit sector. As I continue reading books on leadership development and working with business men and women who want to become more effective leaders, I’ve determined what I believe is the heartbeat of an effective leader. When looking at Maxwell’s, The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, or reading about the “Level Five Leader” in Jim Collins’ book, Good to Great, you can sift it all down to one foundational element…the heartbeat of an effective, great leader is his/her teachable spirit.

Are you teachable? Are you willing to learn to improve yourself, others, your organization, your community, and your future? What does that look like and how does it transfer to our future workers. Teachable for improving self Do you have time slotted on a regular basis to read or listen to leadership books? Have you investigated leadership courses? Would you benefit from retaining a leadership coach? Do you know where you are in your leadership journey, where you want to be, and what specific steps will get you there? One of our founding fathers, Ben Franklin said, “By improving yourself, the world is made better. Be not afraid of growing too slowly. Be afraid only of standing still. Forget your mistakes but remember what they taught you.” Teachable for improving others In order to be a leader, there must be others to lead. Are you taking time to get to know others around you on a relational level-not just their name, but who they are – deep down on a personal level? Are you learning about your co-workers in an effort to be a catalyst in their development?

Do you know enough about your employees to mentor or coach them to their next level, encouraging them to be the best person they can be? The skills for improving others require you to be teachable as well.

Taking time to get to know your team may not be a skill you have mastered, but you can.

Teachable for improving your organization
Whether you work for a small private company with two employees, a large international fortune 100 company, or a local nonprofit agency, your leadership within that organization requires you to have a teachable spirit. Are you constantly looking for ways to improve your organization’s mission, vision, and bottom line?

Are you investigating possibilities to be more productive, efficient, and successful? Are you willing to be teachable and entertain an idea or process that is different from the “way we’ve always done it?” Learning from industry experts, coworkers, employees, fellow professionals, or even clients is a sure way to strengthen your teachable spirit and ultimately your organization.

Teachable for improving your community According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the definition of community is a: unified body of individuals; b: people with common interests living in a particular area; c: an interacting population of various kinds of individuals (as species) in a common location.

How does your willingness to be teachable affect your involvement with the community in which you Live, work, worship, volunteer, and enjoy life? Is your willingness to learn also improving the larger center of influence in which you reside?

What can you learn that will improve and engage those with whom you interact outside of work?

Teachable for improving our future This teachable spirit is not necessary just for those currently in the workforce, but should also transcend into the generation who is currently in high school, college, or just entering the workforce (age 15-25). What is our role as leaders in assisting the next generation to be prepared for becoming effective and great leaders?

Whether you are a parent, aunt, uncle, grandparent, friend, or simply occasionally have dealings with youth…you can make an impact in their lives. There are 40 Developmental Assets® that have been identified by the Search InstituteSM – an independent not-for-profit organization whose mission is to provide leadership, knowledge, and resources to promote healthy children, youth, and communities. When these assets are intentionally developed in our youth, it increases their potential to become healthy adults. Are you teachable to learn how to develop our youth for our future?

The heartbeat of a great leader is their teachable spirit. Do you have a teachable spirit? During the next month, I challenge you to find one way to learn and become more teachable.

Here’s a list to help get you started:

1. Choose a good leadership audio book and listen to it five times over the next month.
[For a list of top choices of book titles and to learn why this method is preferred, visit our website: www.InspiredToLead.com]
2. Find a co-worker or employee and schedule a cup of coffee or lunch to get to know them on a personal Level. Ask them this question: What is one thing that could make your job easier or more productive?
Then work with them to find a solution.
3. Discover what your company’s mission and vision are and learn what your role is in accomplishing them.
4. Inquire about a way you can offer assistance to an individual or organization in your community.
5. Choose at least one Developmental Asset and begin to build it in a youth or young adult with whom you have contact.
[For a list of the 40 Developmental Assets®, visit our website: www.InspiredToLead.com]

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