Tag: Peter Drucker

Here is the best definition of leadership

Over the years experts have provided their own definition of leadership. Several of these make sense to me while some are difficult to follow. The longer the explanation the more suspect I am. The one definition that I found most useful is from John Maxwell. If you are not familiar with John – he is considered one of the top leadership gurus in the world. In his book, Developing the Leader Within You, John offers a simple definition. One that is easy for all of us to understand.

Leadership Is influence. That’s it. Nothing more; nothing less.

John Maxwell

Your ability to influence others…for better or for worse

I agree with John Maxwell. Leadership is all about how well you can influence others. If you are put in charge of a team, can you lead them effectively? Can you influence them enough to get the job done? If so, you are a leader. If not, it is harder to tell. You probably are not.

Influence is a double-edged sword

Good leaders influence their followers to achieve beneficial results. For example, Nelson Mandela changed a nation through his leadership. South Africa is a much better nation after Mandela’s leadership than before. In contrast – Hitler changed Germany while in charge. He left the country and much of Europe in ruins. Leaders leveraging their influence in the wrong way can cause catastrophic results. This fact is shown in some of today’s world events.

Nelson Mandela changed South Africa under his leadership.
Nelson Mandela changed South Africa through his leadership.

Some of us think we are leaders, but we actually are not

Maxwell makes an astute observation in the same book. This quote always makes me smile.

My favorite leadership proverb is: He who thinketh he leadeth and hath no one following him is only taking a walk.

 John Maxwell

The quote is funny. It is also true. If nobody is following you, then you are actually leading no one other than yourself. In my career, I have worked with several leaders who thought their team was following them. In fact, nobody was behind them. No one was on board with their plan. If only the leader would have taken the time to check, he would have realized that no one was following. He was only taking a walk – alone. Make sure you do not fall into the same trap. Check to see if your team is following you. If not, stop what you are doing, and go talk with them to identify the reasons they are not. Reality check – you may be the problem, not them.

If no one is following then you are not leading. You are simply walking alone.
If no one is following then you are not leading. You are simply walking alone.

Peter Drucker’s definition of leadership

I am a big fan of Peter Drucker. He was one of the most respected leadership experts in the world. His book, The Effective Executive is a classic. Everyone should read it. In fact, if you have not read his book, and you are a leader, add it to your reading list for this year. It is that good. Drucker points out that there is a big difference between leading and managing. My favorite quote from him about this topic is below.

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.

Peter Drucker

Many of us are managers, not actually leaders

Drucker is drawing a clear distinction between management and leadership. I agree with him. There are several differences. I will not repeat content from two previous posts that describe the Common Management Model and the Uncommon Leadership Model. Rather, I want to point out that according to Drucker’s definition what you do as a leader is important. Many of us find ourselves in a leadership position, but we are not leading. We are managing. We are more focused on doing things right than asking ourselves if we are doing the right things. If you are a leader, follow Drucker’s advice. Spend your time wisely on the things that really matter. The activities that will drive results and make a positive impact.

Peter Drucker is the original leadership guru - his books are excellent.
Peter Drucker is the original leadership guru – his books are excellent.

Leadership is comprised of many components, not just one definition

This week I am sharing some of John Maxwell and Peter Drucker’s perspectives on leadership. In the next two weeks, I will share thoughts from two of the most famous US Army Generals in history – Colin Powell and Dwight Eisenhower. By putting all these pieces together I think we start to appreciate both the complexity and components that comprise leadership.

The good and bad news about the definition of leadership

First, here is the bad news – leadership is not easy. If it was everyone would be an effective leader. Let’s finish with the good news – leadership can be learned. That is the primary reason why All The Way Leadership! exists. To help train the next generation of leaders so that they can change the world, and make it a better place to live. We can do it.

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

I hope you join me on this journey to raise up the next generation of leaders. The world is in desperate need of more great leaders. Women and men who lead with confidence, clarity, and creativity. It’s time to become the leader that your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!

All The Way Leadership!

Why you can trust All The Way Leadership!

There are a lot of experts in the world

The list of leadership gurus is long. I know because I have read many of their books, listened to their podcasts, attended their events, and completed their training courses. Over the past 30 years, I have learned a lot from many leadership experts like Peter Drucker, Dale Carnegie, John Maxwell, Tom Peters, Arianna Huffington, Simon Sinek, John Kotter, Marcus Buckingham, Molly Fletcher, Ken Blanchard, Jim Collins, Marie Forleo, Michael Hyatt, Seth Godin, Brene Brown, Tony Robbins, and Sheryl Sandburg. I would list more names, but you get the point.

Peter Drucker is the original leadership guru - his books are excellent.
Peter Drucker is considered by many as the original business management and leadership guru.

All The Way Leadership! believes you need more

A company designed with one purpose in mind – to make you a better leader. I am not here to sell a book, or peddle a podcast, or try to get you to sign up for a seminar. Those things will come later. For now, I am focused on helping you grow and develop as a leader through curated compelling content and practical training. Nothing more, nothing less. The question then becomes – why should you turn to All The Way Leadership! for your professional leadership training needs.

Why trust me to serve as a guide for your journey?

Below you will find five compelling reasons why All The Way Leadership is well suited to help you achieve your goal of becoming a more effective leader. They are all true.

  1. Employed – all of us have real jobs that keep us busy. We work for a living as leaders. We do not live in an ivory tower or work from home on our next book project. Instead, we are in the trenches doing our best to be effective leaders ourselves.
  2. Experienced – all of us have served in leadership positions across a wide variety of organizations to include military, government, academic, private industry, and non-profits. We will share decades of lessons learned and best practices.
  3. Engaged – all of us do our best to stay current on leadership trends. We read leadership books, listen to podcasts, attend events, watch webinars, and complete leadership training on a regular basis. Currency and relevance matter.
  4. Educated – all of us earned degrees from leading universities and institutions. All great leaders are learners, and we want to set an example.
  5. Enthusiastic – all of us are passionate about training the next generation of leaders to make the world a better place. It is difficult to hide our enthusiasm for leadership.

“We” are currently an Army of One

I have been working on All The Way Leadership! for over a year. It has taken a long time to get here. I officially launched on March 1st, 2019. Yes – it is just me for now. I plan on adding business partners as the company grows over the next several years. If you meet the criteria outlined above, have a passion for leadership, and would like to collaborate on a project feel free to contact me at allthewayleadership@gmail.com

Why I called this company All The Way Leadership!

When creating this company I had to think of a name. All The Way Leadership! seemed appropriate. It is based on the motto of the US Army 82nd Airborne Division. My first duty assignment as an Infantry Officer in the US Army was at Fort Bragg, home of the 82nd All-American Airborne Division. It was a demanding assignment – only the best of the best get to serve in the 82nd.

The 82nd Airborne Division is over 100 years old.

No slackers allowed in the 82nd

Before going to Fort Bragg I was highly concerned that I might not have what it takes to be a successful leader. The challenge of leading an Airborne Infantry Platoon seemed daunting. Not to mention that when I arrived the Division was just returning from the first Iraq war. The reality was that I was a brand spanking new 2nd Lieutenant taking over a seasoned platoon of combat veterans. Imagine that being your first leadership role. To say I was intimidated by the job would be an understatement.

The unit patch of the 82nd All-American Airborne Division.
The unit patch of the 82nd All-American Airborne Division.

The Army prepared me well to lead

Let’s start with the good news. I had already completed several training courses such as Airborne School, Ranger School, and was Jumpmaster certified. On paper, I was a good fit for the job, but I completely lacked real-world experience. My father was a retired US Army Infantry Colonel at the time. He graduated from West Point, served multiple tours in Vietnam as a Green Beret, and was a highly decorated leader with extensive combat experience. I respected my father and considered him a life-long mentor. I decided to call my father for advice.

My father during one of his tours in Vietnam
Photo of my father while serving in Vietnam.

My father gave me great advice

He recommended that I start working hard, really hard with an intense focus on learning the ropes, mastering my craft, and growing my leadership abilities. That is exactly what I did. I busted my ass to get better. I gave it my all, learning from my mistakes, taking notes about what worked and did not work as a young leader in a high-speed organization. Four years in the 82nd taught me a lot. The list of everyone I learned from is too long to list here.

General James Gavin is a personal hero of mine.

The 82nd motto – All The Way, Airborne!

It is actually more than a motto – it is a mindset. Basically, it means that paratroopers in the 82nd give their best to accomplish the mission and are willing to go all the way. I took that mentality with me into my next assignment and the next one, and the next one after that. It has served me well over the years in all my roles – military leadership, academic endeavors, and private industry. I hope to pass along that mindset to others as they look to increase their impact and change the world for the better.

My Company Commander photo - circa 1998.
My Company Commander photo – circa 1998.

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

I hope you join me on this journey to raise up the next generation of leaders. The world is in desperate need of more great leaders. Women and men who lead with confidence, clarity, and creativity. It’s time to become the leader that your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!

ATW Leadership!