It’s 9:45 am on Wednesday, and as the VP of Human Resources, you have questions about some financial issues that have come up while trying to hire a great candidate.
Rather than send a complicated email, you decide to go downstairs to Dave Foster’s office (VP of finance) and ask him the questions. On the way down to his office, you pass Jim, who inquires, “Are you going to see Dave?” and you say, “Why, yes. Yes, I am.”
Jim says, “He’s out for today, but the guy you really want to talk to is Jeff Burns in the first office on your right.
He’ll be way more help than Dave would be. I’ll catch you later.” You say, “Thanks.” And head over to Jeff’s office.
As you approach Jeff’s office, you can see through the glass that he already has two people in his office, and he is explaining something to them. But they finish quickly, and as you enter his office, he welcomes you with a big smile and says, “Wow! It’s good to see you. Are you lost? We don’t see you down here often.” While he is helping you with the answers you need, Al pops his head in the office and asks, “Excuse me, hey Jeff, should we be working on the Anderson file this week. Jeff looks at him and says, “yes. We should work on that to have it done by COB on Friday. Ask Alice about it. She has been working on it since Monday. If you guys have any questions, please come back to me, and we’ll straighten it out.”
He goes back to explaining a particular company policy and is interrupted again when Janice knocks twice on the door and says, “Jeff, I hate to bother you, but this month’s paid receipts are not matching our invoices for some reason. Will you be able to help us with that?” Jeff looks at his watch, looks at you, and smiles, then back at her and says, “Sure. We should be done here in about ten minutes. Please ask Darrin to come to your office, and I’ll meet you there.
I think we had a late entry from one of our vendors, which will skew the numbers slightly. I’ll show you how to fix it.”
Ten minutes later, you walk out of Jeff’s office. When you leave, you think, “I like that guy, and I’m glad we have him.
I’m not sure Dave would have been any better. For a third-year associate, he’s excellent. We need to watch this guy closer.”
There are two simple and truthful statements I have learned over the past four decades:
You don’t need a title to lead, and you don’t have to be famous to influence people.
Without hesitation, I can say I have seen these axioms exemplified and proven from several viewpoints.
I started working as a teenager in a delicatessen in New York, played various sports, went to college, joined the Air Force, flew fighters, and retired. I went on and worked as a government employee at a prestigious military college and then started my own business in corporate training. Each area exposed me to different kinds of leaders, all with different styles. Each one, whether great or not so great, taught me a lot about what works and what doesn’t.
Halfway through my military career, I started to read about management and supervision and the theories, concepts, and ideas that “smart people” wrote about on the subject. As a result, I can tell you what worked for me and what I have seen others do that made them more than successful by any measure.
And here is the kicker, some of the absolute greatest people I have had the privilege to work for or with are unknowns in academia, business, sports, or today’s social media. Yet, they influenced many people’s lives in positive ways and made a difference in situations that most of us cannot fathom.
Some of these people were high-ranking individuals, while most were the level of first-line supervisors.
And some never had a “title” at all. They were not in a managerial or supervisory role, but that made no difference in how they affected people around them. If something needed to be done, they did it, and they had people helping them — not because those people had to help them, but because they wanted to help them.
These people made a lasting impression. They made a real difference in people’s lives. They are leaders.
They all have a combination of characteristics that allow them to lead from their present position.
The following are four characteristics they have.
Communication
Without question, these people are great communicators on any level. They can speak well, write clearly and succinctly, and listen to people to understand their message before they reply.
Knowledge
They know their job — better than anyone else around them. They make a point of taking the time to read all the material available to them on their present position. They do not just listen to what other people tell them about how their job should be performed or what the process is to accomplish something — they find and read the manual or directive about the company’s operation and expectations and study it. Yes, it takes some time, but it gives them a solid foundation to work from.
Additionally, you typically only have to do it once, and then you know where to go when you need to refer to it later.
Selfless
They are in tune with those around them and what those people need to do their job. And when they can, these “informal leaders” will help others for the team’s benefit. They know that when someone is struggling, they are not being efficient. These leaders don’t automatically give other people the answer to their problem, but they do show them where to find it! Yes, they are teachers, too.
Transparent/honest
Don’t ask them a question if you don’t want an honest answer. They are examples of openness and transparency. They have no problem telling the truth because they know being truthful is far more efficient and productive than not giving the facts.
Don’t misunderstand what I’m saying here: they are not “ruthless” when they tell the truth. On the contrary, they are tactful and concerned about the person, and you can tell that because you will hear them criticize the “thought or concept” and not the person.
Telling the truth gives meaningful information to those who need it up and down the chain of command.
As most of these people mature in their careers, they are moved into supervisory or managerial positions and do well. But others may not be in a discipline, allowing them to garner a title of substance.
That does not mean they are not leading or influencing others. It just means they don’t have a title.
Whatever level you find yourself, right now, you can help others to improve. You can be the person who makes a difference in the rest of someone’s life. You can change the direction of a team or unit. You can motivate and encourage others to recover from a mistake. You can educate a team member allowing them to move up or to another more advantageous position for them and the company. And you can do all this and more, without a title.
It’s your choice.