How to get an “A” in Leadership

Being educated in the Atlanta Public Schools System (APS), I wanted to become a leader like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Atlanta’s first Black Mayor Maynard Jackson, both APS graduates.

At the time, I believed the title “leader” was a reflection of the position you held indicating others were following you. Fortunately, my definition of a leader has developed. How do you define leadership?

How to get an “A” in Leadership:

AUTHENTIC. Who YOU Are.

Are you authentic?  Are you aware of your current shortcomings and biggest life lessons? How about those who follow you?  “Fake it til you make it” and “Grind til you shine” are two failing mantras that some leaders live by. There is an alternative – Authenticity. Authenticity is the foundation for effective leadership. What is your leadership mantra?  Are you Authentic?

AWARENESS & ATTITUDE (A2). How YOU Think and How YOU Act.

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. - Albert Einstein

Are you AWARE of what ails our city and your ATTITUDE toward the problem? Georgia has one non-profit charitable organization for every 361 people. It is ranked in the top 1/3 of most charitable states overall. Georgia’s charitable organizations are generous with both their money and volunteers. So….

• Why, does Atlanta have so many problems with poverty and failed educational outcomes?

• Why haven’t these problems been resolved?

Don’t we have enough leaders? How do we hold leaders accountable to the very needed solutions? 

ADJUSTMENTS. How YOU Respond.

How you respond to a crisis reveals character. Bad news? A bad financial report? Difficulty in your company or with your child?  Do you have the wherewithal to make ADJUSTMENTS for positive outcomes in the face of bad news?  

Content knowledge without the character to act perpetuates crises and is a reflection of ineffective leadership. Conferences and books can educate leaders but crises itself equips us to formulate solutions. 

APTITUDE. How YOU Correct.

Aptitude is the ability to learn and apply knowledge. Leaders must put in action what they are learning at leadership conferences which require getting involved, staying committed and being vested in the outcome. Correction of our problems requires application, not just knowledge or position.

L.E.A.D. Ambassdor Ja'Vien Woods and U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson

ATHLETICISM & ACTION. How YOU Make Things Happen.

Leadership is dynamic. People being led want to win regardless of context.  Athleticism and Action – required elements for success in sports as well as leadership.  Watching Michael Vick play when he was our quarterback for the Falcons was exciting. Why? He made things happen despite not being the most fundamental quarterback in the league.

As a leader in Atlanta, how are you doing? Can you rate yourself on these A’s? What is your formula for making things happen?

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