Thursday, January 7, 2016

Thoughts on Becoming a Leader

What does it mean to be a leader?  Are you a leader? 
Most people would like to think that they are leaders.  Even myself, Allen Arseneau, is included; And I know that being a leader is so much more than a title.  Here are some thoughts on what leadership, and on being a leader, means to me.  Please add your comments below.  
I believe a leader is anyone (regardless of age) who leads, and knows how to listen to others.  Someone who is able to inspire others to do more. A leader has the passion and drive to ignite passion in others.

Common types of Leadership:

Leaders can be democratic, authoritative, or laissez-faire (also known as delegative).  Democratic leaders get input from those around them for better decision making.  Authoritative leaders make decisions on their own.  Delegative leaders let others make decisions for themselves, with minimal input or direction from the supposed leader.  Not surprisingly, democratic leaders create the most creative (and often productive) results.  Allen Arseneau believes that a combination of democratic and authoritative leadership is best.  Know when to open a decision up to the group, and know when to make a decision on your own.  Certainly, share successes with the group, and own all failures.

Leading and Managing:

Great leading is not always great managing.  Although leaders certainly can be great managers, this is not always the case.  Managers are great at organizing people to accomplish goals.  This is a skill that can be learned, but is occasionally missed by even the best leaders.  For this reason, great leaders also surround themselves with great managers.  Allen Arseneau tries to live by this.  It would be a sad day when I (or anyone else) is the smartest and best person in the room.  So fill the room with amazing people.  And you all will be better for it.
As you go forward, think about how you inspire those around you.  What kind of leader are you?  What kind of leader do you want to be?
#leadership
ABOUT ALLEN
Allen Arseneau is an entrepreneur in Boston.  He holds an MBA from Stanford University, and a BS in chemical engineering from Northeastern University.  When he is not growing a business, he can be found hiking or camping with his wife and daughter, or taking his Little Brother out.  Allen volunteers as a mentor of a little boy in need, thru the Big Brother Big Sisters (BBBS) organization.  Allen Arseneau blogs about his experiences as a Big.