Thoughts on leadership.

I have been reading a lot about leadership... Most articles start with examples of people that have been incredibly successful at leadership... Like Presidents, CIOs, business owners, etc. If you do or say this, overtime, success will be accomplished. The truth is that there is no manual for the leadership journey... A lot of it has to do with luck and being in the right place at the right time.

In my experience, opportunities for responsibility came to me in a time of change and turmoil. When I was given the responsibility to lead others, I tried hard not to mess it up... I was a little self conscious and perhaps a little afraid that people would find out I was a "fake". Over time, I have been able to apply my experience and provide value to my employer by allowing others to rise up to challenges. I identified areas where my technical skill was limited and I encouraged others to teach me a few things. Over time, I realize that I was not going to be able to lead in every aspect, so picking the right instances where I could excel became important.

I would say the most important elements of a leader are the listening skills and the ability to encourage others to participate and share common goals. I see so many disconnected and uninformed people in positions of power, because over time, their presence overtakes the rooms they walk in. No one is willing to share the fact that the king is naked. :)