Leadership – It Isn’t Always the Boss

By Brian J. Riker

Leadership is about helping others succeed, not about power or position. A great leader has the heart of a teacher and the spirit of a servant. They put a lot of time and energy into helping develop others without always putting themselves first.

I believe leadership is more about purpose than power. It took me a while to learn that concept, longer than it should have given I had several great leaders to mentor me along the way, but alas I did figure out what it takes to be a decent leader.

A 2024 poll conducted by staffing agency Randstat concluded that 39% of all workers in America have no desire to advance into a leadership role, and 34% would change jobs before taking a leadership role if they were forced to accept a promotion. Perhaps this is because so few in leadership roles truly understand what it means to be a great leader; instead they are a manager or “boss.”

I think we all have had one or two “bosses” in our lives, and hopefully we all have had at least one or two great “leaders” as well. I know I have, one early on that I wish I had allowed to better mentor me and one just a few years ago that is still an inspiration, and a large part of my success.

In their book The Leadership Challenge, James M. Kouzes and Barry Posner share the five key points of highly successful leaders.

Model the way – Leaders establish the values and principles of the organization. This means a leader doesn’t just tell you what to do, they show you what to do with their everyday actions. This means no shortcuts, even when nobody is looking. Leaders always have exceptional integrity.

Inspire a shared vision – Clear and desirable goals for the organization, team and individual are critical to inspiring people to follow a leader. A leader will develop these shared goals with the benefit of the entire team in mind and they will ensure they are both attainable and adjustable to fit the individual.

Challenge the process – Excellent leaders, especially industry innovators, always are challenging the process. They can’t stand to hear “that’s the way we have always done it.” Instead they embrace the principle of killing “Sacred Cows,” meaning the long term core processes of not only their own organization but also the industry as a whole.

Enable others to act – They get to a point where they have coached their team so well that they can simply say “go” after giving a direction and the results will be the same, or better, than if they had completed the task themselves.

Encourage the heart – They always have the mentality of a coach. Whether a team member hits it out of the park and they are sharing the celebration or there was some failure, the great leader is there to offer words of encouragement and a gently hand to guide the team to the next success.

Those folks that can model those five keys typically are naturally drawn to being a “people person.” To excel in any leadership role, it is more about interpersonal relationships than it is about business acumen or being the best at the technical skill you are leading. Afterall, that is why you have a team of dedicated professionals working with you, so they can excel at what they do best as you provide the tools, resources and remove the roadblocks to their success.

Another thing many folks get wrong about leadership, it doesn’t always come from someone with the title, position of power or even the ownership of the organization. Many of the greatest leaders, especially within the towing industry, are the rank-and-file team members such as drivers, mechanics and clerks. These folks show compassion to their fellow human beings daily, gently coach other team members even when it “isn’t their job” and can gently guide their employer or ownership from the bottom up.

They lead because it is their calling, not because it is their job or because they get recognition for it. If you are in, or desire to be in, a leadership role for recognition or power then you likely will not make a good leader. Leadership is tough, occasionally thankless, but often enough it is very rewarding when you see your team, your people, succeed beyond their dreams. Helping others succeed is one of the greatest natural highs of all time.

Do you hear the calling? Get out there and be a great leader.