“Someday I want to be a professional leader” proclaimed a particularly enthusiastic young man at the conclusion of one of our recent leadership development workshops. I was delighted to hear his eager exclamation while, at the same time, somewhat intrigued by his use of the word “professional”. I’m sure that he equated this term to adjectives such as accomplished, proficient and skilled, but I wonder if it is really the best word to describe the kind of leader to which he aspires. Maybe he should set his sights on a higher target…that of becoming an amateur leader.
The word amateur is often used, erroneously, as a somewhat disparaging description of a person who functions at less than the highest levels of competence and expertise. In fact the Latin source, amãtor, means lover, devotee, or enthusiast. Amateurs are people who act for the love of it, not for the money or the recognition. Isn’t this the highest level to which a leader can aspire? Don’t we need a lot more amateur leaders in our organizations today?
Amateur leaders lead for the love of it. They are leaders who love to see others blossom, leaders who stand in hard places, leaders who love to see organizations flourish, leaders who inspire by their character, not their words, leaders who shun the credit, leaders who sacrifice for their team, leaders who will pick up a shovel and work shoulder to shoulder. These are the qualities of the amateur leader.
I would encourage you to look around your organization and honor the few rare amateur leaders you have. They are surprisingly easy to spot. You can find them coming in early to make coffee for the team. You can hear them taking difficult, unpopular positions. You can see them coaching and encouraging everyone they encounter. You can hear them telling the truth that all others are avoiding. You can watch them take full accountability for their work. You can feel your goose bumps when they talk about the organization’s future.
What about you? As a leader, do you want to be known as a professional or as an amateur?
EXCELLENT!
Comment by Sharon (Communitas SCS) — February 10, 2009 @ 8:15 am
Gregg,
Absolutely brilliant!
Comment by Pradeep — February 11, 2009 @ 8:35 pm
Gregg,
Your definition of an amateur leader resonates strongly with me. Thank you. It reminds me of the words of Theodore Roosevelt:
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of the deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails - at least he fails while daring greatly.
Comment by Siga — February 15, 2009 @ 7:59 pm
Great.
I agree its the ameature approach to work which drives things. Maybe one may just overlook it in th short term but that’s the kind of approach which build teams which are driven by passion to meet the objective by following a clean and a healthy path.
Comment by Rakshat — February 16, 2009 @ 11:33 pm