“Competence, like truth, beauty, and contact lenses, is in the eye of the beholder.”

Laurence J. Peter

Leadership is the most difficult role anyone can take.  Leaders step up, make decisions, and do the hard things – which not everyone understands.  Not so tough for managers who keep the status quo under control.

I hear a lot of comments about “good leaders” and “bad leaders,” and while there are some that fit those definitions, we have to be sure we’re not labeling people through the lens of how we see ourselves.

That “good leader” you may have in mind may look good to you because of how you see leadership, while others see them as terrible leaders because they don’t resonate with their views.  So your perception can be right for you, but it may not be right.

I always tell people that the first step toward leadership is gaining enough self-awareness that you understand the role service plays.  You’ll never be a leader if you don’t understand the connection to serving the people you lead.

Otherwise, you’re probably just another loud manager.