Strong. Fierce. Bold. Magnificent appearance. Whatever it is you know about the Lion, we can agree it is the first mental image when someone thinks about Leadership. Let’s dive into it:
Make yourself heard
No one will know how good your intentions are if you keep silent. A lion’s reputation is his voice. Many of us never met Nikola Tesla or Martin Luther King Jr., or Mother Theresa, but we all have knowledge of them because they had something to say and said it. It is also important to acknowledge that it’s not only about roaring; your character is just as strongly communicated by the manner in which you speak to your team, and how clearly your ideas are expressed. The lion’s roar is important as it makes his presence clear, and he doesn’t expect his team to read his mind.
Interact With Others So That You Can Get Better
The burden of leadership is not 100% on the leader. It takes an entire team to make something great. A pride of lions is big but is made up of multiple members that help each other (sometimes lionesses babysit cubs that are not theirs to facilitate hunting by the others). The leader should recognize himself as a lion taking care of others and being taken care of by others in turn. An isolated lion will starve!
There Is a Difference between a Leader and a Slave, Find Time to Relax!
Society currently forces us to hustle non-stop until we collapse of exhaustion: we wake up with targets to meet, meetings to host, deadlines to keep and objectives to realize. We give ourselves freely to our deadlines and satisfying the needs of those around us while we see no profit in taking time for ourselves. In spite of a lion sleeping 20+hrs a day, it never goes hungry (set aside time for a rest!). The irony of work is that it never finishes, the more you do, the more you still have to do. If you want to have an enjoyable life, learn to not let activity dominate your life. Find time to relax.
The ability to share is the hallmark of a leader
Lions leave bits of food for the smaller guys. Every leader has a duty to ensure that his followers are fed. Aside from giving commands, a leader must be able to positively motivate those in his charge without holding back. Respect is given to those who give freely to others. It is difficult to think that such a peak predator, with such a massive appetite still manages to leave food for the smaller ones.
Learn how to delegate responsibility
Human beings have only two hands and two legs. And there’s a reason they’re referred to as manpower and not horsepower. They don’t have the ability to teleport, either. No one can be everywhere at the same time, even if you’re the Man of Steel! You, therefore, have to learn to give some tasks to others. Look at the lioness; she makes the kill and brings it to the lion to eat first. This does not mean that she can undermine the lion’s authority, but rather the lion sees her ability and employs it to the benefit of the entire group. On the flip side, we cannot delegate out all duties then roll around all day; this is laziness which leads to lack of respect from your followers and may generate jealousy among teammates who have disproportionate workloads. Know your team as a group as well as the individuals comprising it and delegate accordingly.
I’m sure we can all agree that being a leader is tough, but considering these tips will help you build an empire with those who support you. So go on! Make your intentions clear, interact with others, make time to relax, ensure your team is fed, and do delegate responsibly!
