Leadership From Books?

We’ve done several Entrepreneur’s Playbooks based on leadership and I think it’s an area where pretty much everyone from staff to owner can take the time to improve upon.

AccountingWeb recently featured an article by Mark Walsh, a specialist in leadership, stress management, and time management training.

In his article, his main point is that great leadership doesn’t come from books.  You have to actively practice being a leader.  He says, “Practice is a conscious, directed activity, so simply being a manager for many years does not necessarily mean you are practicing.”

I think this is an interesting concept.  It goes along well with being a “Learner” as a leader versus being a “knower” leader.  Walsh lists several other key ingredients that good leaders have: emotional intelligence, embodiment, mentoring, and individuality.  Being a leader isn’t about reading books, says Walsh, it’s about doing.

What steps have you taken to become a better leader?  How does your team respond to your leadership style?  What has it meant to your business?