What is Leadership?

I recently heard Chip Ingram talk about Leadership. Chip’s a well-respected Christian Pastor. He said a Leader is simply someone who “makes stuff happen”. I like this. I think we tend to popify leadership these days. We try to put some fancy words behind it. You’re a leader if you simply make it happen. It comes in many forms. A parent, a spouse, a teach, a coach, a student, a child – it doesn’t matter. Either you make things happen or you don’t.

I had the privilege of interviewing 25 plus high performers in my company recently. My goal was to uncover the patterns behind achievement. Some were high level leaders, including our CEO. Some were project managers without big titles. What I learned from all of them was that the best of the best have a definitive plan on a daily basis to make things happen. They plan, they take action, they review. They plan, they take action, they review. They plan, they take action, they review. I could keep going but I won’t : )

The best of the best….they make things happen. They lead.

Leadership or making things happen isn’t always clean. In fact, it’s messy most of the time. The best leaders…the best performers, I found, simply embrace that messiness…and make things happen.

The next time you wonder what it takes to be a leader of if someone is a good leader – ask – do they make things happen? It’s easy to talk a big game but to get to the grind and get really intentional (and messy) – that’s where the magic is.

So, are you talking or are you making things happen?