You can generally tell leaders because they exhibit three compulsive behaviors that are so much a part of them that you could sooner keep a duck from quacking than keep a leader from expressing these behaviors:

1.  Leaders Participate.   Leaders participate in every process of which they are a part.  It is part of who they are. I remember when I choose to start participating. I was in a college class and I knew if I didn’t participate, I would fall asleep. I became active not only in that class but in every class and that choice has become my nature.  So, YOU can make a choice: choose to participate, choose to be fully engaged in the discussion, the project, the business, etc.
2. Leaders Initiate.  This goes back to my last post about nature abhorring a vacuum.  When a leader perceives a lack of leadership they feel compelled to step into that gap and try to fill the role.  This is partly choosing to participate, and partly because they believe they can help bring order out of chaos and accomplish the task.
3. Leaders Facilitate.  Every leader knows that they are unable on their own to accomplish the goals of their organization.  They really need people around them who will join them in the endeavor.  Good leaders facilitate their people by providing them the resources, training, and support, not to mention direction and encouragement to accomplish the task and reach their goals.

Unfortunately what we equate with Leadership can be seen in the list below.  These attributes are NOT those of true leaders but we too often get them confused:

1. Dictate – If you have to resort to being a dictator, it means you haven’t clearly communicated
2. Pontificate – If you are seen as a long-winded blowhard who only likes to hear himself talk and you think this is leadership . . . you’re wrong
3. Prevaricate – Too often the media runs stories of leaders who have lied and broken trust with their employees, their customers, and the government.  Real leaders are people of honesty who refuse to lie.

Question:  What is the first thing you want to do when you see a lack of leadership?