Leadership Profile

Be a leader not a manager.

Most individuals grow in an organization to become managers of people, and not every one becomes a successful manager or commands the same level of respect. In order to become a good manager you should stop managing and instead lead.

This is my 10th year managing software engineers and leading teams of immense technical talent. I worked with some great technical leaders, watched some others, and one thing that is very obvious is that there are a lot of different leadership styles at play. The essence of my post is not to compare and contrast these styles but to draw out the common traits of successful leaders.

So what do these successful leaders do? Where do they invest time? What are their qualities? What are they responsible for? What do they do on a day-to-day basis?

Here is one way you can organize and look at leadership-

So is that it? Are traits and competencies enough? Obviously not. A core built on authenticity, convictions, and humility is very important for these traits to thrive, and these traits need a medium called conversations- the way we respond to people and situations. If leaders don't take charge and shape the message, somebody else will do it for them.

Improve these traits and competencies, integrate them into your daily ritual to unlock your true leadership potential. It is a slow and gradual process that will take time and discipline but is well worth it. This is not a one-size-fits-all profile, good leaders should play to their strengths and adapt to situations.

Image by Gage Skidmore