Written by Jay Goff
What do you think of when hear the term "Extreme Leadership?" Does it conjure up visions of boot camp, Navy SEALs training, or Army Ranger School? Or does it bring a vision of leadership that is intentional, focused, constantly developing, succession-minded, and legacy building? If you thought the former, well, you wouldn't be completely wrong, but not precise in your perspective. As a retired US Army combat veteran of 26 years, serving in all three components of the army branch, I cut my teeth on what a leader is while serving my country. I never truly experienced what authentic leadership meant until I became one myself. That's when I learned, that even in the military, your people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.
Leadership isn't about getting things done through intimidation, screaming, or threats of physical harm. This is the image that most would have when they think of military leadership. But they would be wrong. Leadership is having the ability to influence men and women who want to follow you because they trust you, they know you care about them, and you are there to help them succeed. Leaders not only instruct, but they also inspire those who follow and leave a lasting impact. A leader influences for commitment, whereas a non-leader intimidates for compliance. I call these "leaders" (and I use the term leaders very loosely) Bullies On Supervisory Status or B.O.S.S.. Look for my newsletter on this that goes into greater detail on a later date.
This newsletter has one purpose, and one purpose only - to give you tips and anecdotes that will help you to become an effective leader so that you can develop and influence leaders in your personal connections and within your organization. Extreme leadership isn't just about leading others well but also learning how to lead yourself well before being given the privilege of leading others. That's why much of what I write can also be easily applied to personal leadership, which I consider to be the very first level of leadership.
As I often say, "leadership ain't for wimps." So if you're looking for some silky, smooth kid's glove approach to leadership development, you won't find it here. I'll be sharing with you lessons I've learned throughout my 40+ years in leadership, the lessons I've learned from great leaders whom I have admired and learned from over the years, and I will share what you, the subscriber shares with me that I believe will help the broader community of extreme leaders. I believe that extreme leaders are the ones who will truly make this world a better place, and isn't that what we all strive for?
If you're on the journey to becoming a leader of excellence, whether as an aspiring leader or one very well seasoned in the industry, I invite you to consider enrolling in one of the many courses within the Goff Academy of Leadership Excellence (G.A.L.E.) program.
Thanks for subscribing to the newsletter. I'm certain you will gain a lot of tips, information, inspiration, and encouragement on your leadership journey. Please share this with your friends and cohorts and feel free to comment and email me personally.
Happy Leading,
-Coach Jay
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