Leaders who have truth-value or truth-claims… Who do you want to follow?

30 Friday Aug 2024

Posted by in Consistency, Decisions, Empower, Honest, Influence, Inspiration, Integrity, Intentional, Leader, Leadership, Learning, Loyalty, Respect, Trust, Truth, Uncategorized, Understanding, Useful, Value, Wisdom

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The leadership world as we know it is rapidly evolving, with everyone trying to come up with some new leadership tagline… I’m guilty as well. It’s all about trying to get the reader interested enough to read…

So… Is there a difference between truth-value leadership and truth-claims leaderhsip? Stay with me…

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The concept of truth-value leadership…

Truth-value leadership is of immense importance. Why would it not be? It’s more than leading with integrity (remember, if you have to ask someone if you have integrity, odds are you don’t); it’s embodying and living out the essence of integrity, honesty, transparency, authenticity (you can keep adding to the list)…

Truth-value in leadership has seeds planted and roots established in fostering trust, inspiring loyalty, and building relationships with a substance that lasts. It starts with self-awareness, prioritizing honesty within themselves before they can expect honesty from others. A stand-firmness characteristic that doesn’t shy away from difficult truths or uncomfortable situations. It is not passive or even passive-aggressive and sure doesn’t send someone else to “handle” issues. They deliver facts, stay away from public opinion, and just plain do right by people. When this happens, people engage in an encouraging environment, knowing leadership truth values are the guiding principles.

However, truth-claims leadership…

Have you ever seen a leader when it comes to truth, veer from reality? Many leaders assert and claim they embody truth leadership without aligning their actions with their words (This is where my daughter would say, “PERIOD!”). I call this a credibility gap; all it does is lead to skepticism among followers. Empty claims lead to hollow voices that can erode trust, often causing reputational harm to others in order to make truth claims leaders look all the better.

For all who chase leadership, truth-value leadership is profound. Leaders who live by their values and are accountable to truth, benefit everyone in trusting decision-making, and true loyalty follows. The tell-tale true test of a truth-value leader lies in their consistency—how often their claims match their actions. Truth-value leadership is, therefore, not just a moral or ethical stance; it is a strategic approach to sustainable success. Truth-value leadership offers a powerful path toward lasting influence and impact in a world craving authenticity.

Do you know those in leadership positions that can be characterized as one of the above? I bet you do…

Go be a great educator and leader today… Our future needs it…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2024 J Clay Norton

Want more Leadership Thoughts? Follow me on… X @thebookchamber or follow the blog directly.

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Who do you want leading… A leader who leads by choice or chance?

23 Friday Aug 2024

Posted by in Accountability, Actions, Choice, Culture, Decisions, Effective, Encouragement, Essence, Influence, Inspiration, Intentional, Leader, Leadership, Opportunity, Passion, Purpose, Respect, Servant, Transformational, Trust, Truth, Uncategorized, Understanding, Useful, Value, Vision, Whole

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Leadership, call it what you want, but hopefully, you can agree that it is and will continue to be a journey. It demands conscious effort, a vision that is not blinded by self, and a deep understanding of who we are individually…

So, today’s discussion compares and contrasts leading by choice vs. leading by chance. Too many times I see people who are in leadership positions who have earned their way there or thrown into the position. Is there a difference? I believe so, and by the end of reading, hopefully you will discover which is better and why…

Leading by choice…
They are the leaders who embrace responsibilities and challenges with clarity and purpose. Driven by the desire to be a difference-maker for the good of others, inspiring and creating positive change because it is the right thing to do, not because they just think it will be better. They uphold deliberate leadership that is informed and backed for growth for all they lead. They constantly look to refine their leadership, learning from truth without blinders and adapting to challenges. Leading by choice is intentional and fosters trust, collaboration, and a shared vision. They believe in others and understand the impact of aligning actions with values for all to see.

Leading by chance…
They lack the intrinsic motivation required to truly succeed in it for themselves and lack preparedness. They lead from the hip, often finding themselves in leadership positions due to circumstance or out of necessity, without an actual desire to lead. This type of leadership becomes reactive rather than proactive. Purpose and direction lack consistency in decision-making, and opportunities for growth are missed. They struggle to connect on any level and only want loyalty and engagement that benefits a self-sense of purpose. This creates a hollow leadership that causes disengagement and a lack of cohesion.

From a Christian worldview, this aligns with the idea of servant leadership, all day, every day. Such leaders by choice are better equipped to serve others selflessly, making decisions that reflect wisdom and love, embodying the essence of servant leadership that transforms integrity and conviction in and for others.

We see it every day… Those who lead by choice and those who have to lead by chance. One allows you to succeed; the other, well, they give you a chance. You might ask, “Are opportunity and chance the same thing?” I say no. Ultimately, leaders who lead by choice are more effective because they approach leadership with a passion that spills over and over into the lives of others.

Go be a great educator and leader today… Our future needs it…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2024 J Clay Norton

Want more Leadership Thoughts? Follow me on… X @thebookchamber or follow the blog directly.

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Gravitas… A Heavy Word For Leadership?

16 Friday Aug 2024

Posted by in Accountability, Actions, Appreciation, confidence, Consistency, Culture, Education, Educational Leadership, Effective, Grace, Gravitas, Honest, Influence, Inspiration, Integrity, Intentional, Knowledge, Leader, Leadership, Mixed Signals, Presence, Relationships, Resilience, Respect, Transformational, Transparent, Trust, Understanding, Value, Wisdom

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I like words. I like the etymology of words: where they come from, the primary source for why they mean what they do, etc. I especially like words that have flavor, and “gravitas” happens to fit that characteristic for me.

Screenshot 2024-08-15 at 10.11.43 AM

The term gravitas comes from Latin, where it originally meant “heaviness” or “weight.” This literal sense of physical weight evolved into a metaphorical meaning, implying seriousness, dignity, or authority. The Latin word gravis, which means “heavy,” “serious,” or “important,” is the root of gravitas. The suffix “-tas” in Latin is used to form nouns that express a state or quality, so gravitas conveys the quality of being serious or important.

As I have been reading over the past summer, gravitas has been popping up more than usual. Depending upon what circle you run, gravitas does not appear to be a word that rolls freely off the tongue. While one might know what it means, how to use it could possibly cause a stumble.

Where and how does gravitas fit into leadership?

Gravitas is not merely about respect; a leader can command or demand that, often out of fear. Gravitas is about embodying a sense of purpose, wisdom, and emotional resilience that can inspire and guide others. A leader with gravitas has a presence that alone can calm and focus attention on its surroundings. This presence isn’t just about charisma; it’s about substance. That is something we definitely need more of; leaders with substance.

Leaders with gravitas simply don’t just speak; their words transcend meaning that touches their listeners with thoughtful feeling. The words carry weight and have a sense of purpose, enabling a depth of character to navigate leadership obstacles, never being unapproachable with their personality. Their demeanor helps others feel safe and motivated.  

Gravitas also fosters trust. Problems arise, difficult situations hit you head-on, uncertainty brings doubts… We need leaders who are confident and stable. Those who can create reassurance. Not because they can “flex” their leadership position but because they display authority in a society that has nothing but talking points and loud voices.

Gravitas… quiet strength and power with substance. Do you know a leader like this?

Go be a great educator and leader today… Our future needs it…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2024 J Clay Norton

Want more Leadership Thoughts? Follow me on… X @thebookchamber or follow the blog directly.

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“Mixed Signals” A Leadership Wreck Waiting To Happen…

09 Friday Aug 2024

Posted by in Actions, Authentic, Clear, Consistency, Effective, Emotional Temperature, Essence, Intentional, Intentions, Kindness, Leader, Leadership, Mixed Signals, Relationships, Value, Vision

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Well, here we are… another school year. Another year to help society by leading, guiding, and educating the future. Also, another year of blogs to hopefully help trigger thoughts that will make us better leaders in all of our endeavors.

So, the summer gives us much time to reflect and think, and recently, I thought of how leadership does not work with those who send/give “mixed signals.”

First, let’s define what a mixed signal is… Mixed signals in leadership occur when actions contradict words or when priorities are not consistently communicated. Leaders should align their actions with the stated values of the vision and mission and ensure an understanding of its importance within the organization. This discrepancy can lead team members to question what is truly valued, causing uncertainty and disengagement.

But, there are also mixed signals at a personal level. A growing essence of “mixed signals” is when individuals feel they are not a priority. Here’s the question, “What do you do if someone gives you mixed signals?” Here is where I rationalize an answer… There are NO mixed signals.

For me, the phrase “mixed signals” is irrelevant and has no place in leadership. It’s just a bad phrase… It’s as if someone is “hot” and then “cold,” giving you “attention” and then going “silent.” That’s not “mixed signals,” it IS the signal. Hello!

It’s very clear the signal someone else is giving you, yet you wonder… It’s evident that one who portrays this is advertising that you are not a priority for them now. So, stop calling it mixed signals and start calling it what it is and accepting the truth that you are not a priority, and that is because of their behavior of inconsistency, which ultimately can become irrelevant. Also, stop chasing them down; stop trying harder on your end. It just leads to more stress, anxiety, emotional doubt, whatever… Stop making the relationship a priority on your end because they clearly do not reciprocate.

Leadership often raises its banner as the ability to inspire, guide, and influence others toward achieving a common goal. However, a frequently overlooked aspect of effective leadership is the clarity of communication, particularly in how leaders convey priorities. Mixed signals can erode trust, create confusion, and hinder progress within a team or organization. Effective leadership requires consistent and transparent communication.

When we lead with a servant-based leadership perspective, we never have to worry about the signals we send individually. The principle of valuing others and aligning our actions to help success demonstrates that we make every effort to be clear and consistent with our “signals.” Ensuring others feel valued and prioritized enhances our effectiveness as leaders and fosters a supportive reciprocating environment.

Go be a great educator and leader today… Our future needs it…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2024 J Clay Norton

Want more Leadership Thoughts? Follow me on… X @thebookchamber or follow the blog directly.

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