If they take away your title will they follow you?

Where were you when the news broke that Nelson Mandela had passed on or when Mother Theresa was said to have breathe her last? How about when news filled the media that Dr Martin Luther King had been shot or when Princess Diana was reported to have died from a ghastly motor accident?

You might not exactly remember where you were or what you were doing when these events took place but one thing is sure. We refer to each of these people as leaders who stood and fought for something. What they did has affected the very fabric of our society and influenced the world positively. From the family institution to the government and the workplace, people try to model the character and charisma of these people.

Like many of us, you might have that special someone a teacher, a father, a mother, a friend, a senior sibling, a boss, a media personality, an uncle or an aunt who made a positive mark on your life in a way that you cannot forget. You would also agree with me that for every good example you have, you can also name bad examples.

Bottom line the people that influence our lives positively and contribute in bringing out the best in us are not necessarily those without titles. However, they influenced or influence us still regardless of the title they bear or don’t have. They do so, simply because of who they have chosen to be the difference maker in the lives of others. And that is a foundational truth every line manager or supervisor must keep close to heart.

After observing both successful and unsuccessful leaders, one can safely conclude that titles give you authority while who you are gives you influence.

One of the assumptions most line and business managers make is to automatically equate their title to leadership. The truth is no one actually needs a title to lead.

As Michael McKinney, a foremost leadership coach observed, “Leadership is intentional influence.”Another leadership guru John C. Maxwell opined that “True leadership in every sphere of life is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.

True leadership cannot be awarded, appointed, or assigned. It comes only from influence, and that can’t be mandated. It must be earned. The only thing a title can buy is a little time either to increase your level of influence with others or to erase it.” Or better, a title is only an opportunity to lead.

Titles especially in the workplace should be definers of a person’s position, compensation and benefits in an organisation and not necessarily viewed (especially by the title holder) as leadership in itself. Titles should be seen as an opportunity to serve others – your team and organisation with your best abilities and as a vital avenue to help the members of the team you direct or manage reach their maximum potential.

Let’s zero in on your style of leadership and tell yourself the truth: If they take away your title, will people (your employees) still follow you? It’s a rhetoric question you must answer to be effective in achieving your goals and that of your team or organisation. We would achieve our goals faster and better if we choose to be a force of influence in the lives of our employees rather than a symbol of coercion.

Ngozi Adebiyi