Learning Leadership: The Five Fundamentals of Becoming an Exemplary Leader
"Leadership is about much more than what you do than it is about where you are sitting."
"Nothing could be further from the truth. Leadership is not a rank, a title, or a place. Look it up in the dictionary. You'll find that leadership starts with a lowercase l. And the word lead literally comes from an Old English word meaning "to go" or "to guide." That's what leadership is about: going places and guiding others. You could be a CEO, but it's much more likely that you are a parent, coach, teacher, front-line worker, middle manager, volunteer, community activist, or concerned citizen. Every student of history knows that world-changing movements have been initiated and led by people without title, rank, or tenure."
"Leading is about the actions you take, not the position you hold. It's about the values that guide your decisions and actions. It's about the visions you have for yourself and others. To become an exemplary leader, the second fundamental is that you have to aspire to excel. You have to aim for something greater, dream of something better and strive for something nobler than what exists right now. You have principles that guide you and that transform and life people up to become their best selves."
“Learning is the master skill. When you fully engage in
learning—when you throw yourself wholeheartedly into experimenting, reflecting,
reading, or getting coaching—you're going to experience improvement. Perhaps
even greatness.”
“Building your capacity to be a lifelong learner begins
with what Carol Dweck, professor of psychology at Stanford University, calls a
growth mindset. This mindset, she says, “is based on the belief that your basic
qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts.” 6 Individuals who
have a growth mindset believe people can learn to be better leaders—that they
are made and not born."
“The best leaders are the best learners. They have a
growth mindset. They believe that they are capable of learning and growing
throughout their lives. To become a better leader, you must engage in
continuous learning. You are never done learning, never done getting better.
Continuous learning is a way of life.”