"Leadership and the Anti-Me"

"The conventional definition of management is getting work done through people, but real management is developing people through work." - Agha Hasan Abedi (He doesn't really seem like a great guy, but I really like the quote)

It's been an interesting week or two around here. I won't bore you with the details, but I can say that I've seen my problem and he is me. I want to share a few lessons that I've been learning lately about being a manager, or for those of you who don't manage in the corporate sense of the word, being a leader:

1. Being a leader does not mean making sure that everyone does everything your way. There are many ways to build a box, facilitate and moderate the construction.
2. Being a leader requires communication and learning the language of everyone on the team. Few people communicate in exactly the same way, but the team must move in the same direction, therefore it's your responsibility to communicate that direction to everyone.
3. All success is contributory, but failure rests on the shoulders of the leader.
4. A good leader may not always be well liked, but he/she is always respected.
   
5. People will die for a great leader.
6. Leadership is doing what's right, even when the competition isn't.
7. Leadership is pouring into people so that they can pour into the project.

There's so much more and thankfully I'm still learning.