The 22 Imperatives of Leadership: #1 – Overview

The journey of any true leader is the inner journey
to self-awareness and his own inherent power.
Leadership, like entrepreneurship is a spiritual affair.

If there’s one contribution I can make in this lifetime, it’s redefining what it really means to be a true leader.

The management consultant Tom Peters states, “Leadership is confusing as hell.’

I can’t state it any better than that; and I’ll do my best to simplify, redefine and clarify in this series.

What I promise, is that we need a different type of leader than we’ve had in the past; and our approach must change to fit a rapidly changing world.

How we defined leadership in the past will not work for the future.
Leadership must be redefined and expanded beyond mere business strategy.

Over the next several weeks I’d like us to explore what experience (mine and others) has found to be the imperatives of true leadership. Not just historically for traditional business, but also for life; and a disruptive and transforming world as well.

Nothing fails today like the success of yesterday.

While this treatise may not be all inclusive given the expansive nature of the subject, I suggest that anyone who understands and adopts these imperatives will do very well in both life and business.

Let’s please agree that if you can’t effectively lead your own life, you haven’t a prayer of leading a successful business.

The weakest link in the chain always breaks the chain.

While I won’t suggest that all great leaders are functional in every area of their life—and I won’t suggest that all great leaders possess and practice all 22 Imperatives—what I do suggest is that all great leaders know their own unique gifts, they know who they are, they know exactly where they’re going, and they’re committed to getting there no matter what life throws at them.

Success is hard. Do something you love.
~ Steve Jobs

All great leaders are also committed to something grander and greater than their own personal self-centered needs. They have a deep drive to bring something of great value to the world.

All great leaders are committed to something far grander
and greater than their own personal and self-centered needs.
They have a drive to bring something of great value to the world.

Many a leader has left a trail of casualties in their own health, relationships and otherwise.

I certainly don’t advocate this strategy.

What I do advocate and suggest imperative, is clarity on who you are, your own gifts, your vision, purpose and direction.

Your Purpose in This World

And you must love your vision so much that you’re willing to go all in with it and for it.

Like it or not, sacrifice is a big part of true leadership.

These are just a few qualities of the leader we speak of; and their leadership is driven by a great cause and calling versus a mere career.

Anyone who does anything great in the world
is absolutely obsessed with one thing and one thing only;
and they give their whole lives to that one thing.

Let me just close this overview by briefly discussing what leadership is not. Just so we’re clear:

Leadership is not position or title…

It’s not number of followers or popularity…

Being a leader is not getting the most likes or shares…

It’s not a certain amount of money…

It’s not command and control…

Leadership is vastly more than any of these things; and this Leadership for the Future is what we’ll explore together beginning in the next installment of this series.

Talk soon,

Be a Leader. Live Your Purpose; and Take Your Power Back!

James