Q&A: Robin Sharma / Sharma Leadership International
On individual leadership
By Lisa Cheong
Q What is your definition of a leader?
A The old model of leadership, where every organisation has only executive leaders, is dead. To win in turbulent times, organisations must adopt Leadership 2.0. This means everyone needs to show leadership, and lead without a title. I’m not saying titles are unimportant and that we don’t need people to delegate responsibilities to manage a business. I’m simply saying that, now, the best companies will build leaders at every level of the organisation.
Q Can anyone be a leader?
A Yes. Anyone, from the person who sweeps floors to the person in the C-Suite who runs the company, has the opportunity and responsibility to show leadership because leadership is less about title and more about impact and influence. The best leaders without a title innovate relentlessly, commit to the mastery of their craft, are authentic, have guts and are deeply ethical.
Q What separates a leader from the pack?
A Authenticity, excellence, passion, vision and action to make it all happen. And a willingness to be yourself versus someone designed to please everyone.
Q What are the obstacles that prevent a person from becoming a great leader?
A The obstacles to showing leadership without a title include lack of confidence, listening to critics, being busy (on little things that don’t contribute to the bigger picture) and a lack of acute focus on the few things that will help you win.
Q What can a person do to confront these challenges?
A With better awareness comes better choices. The more you get to know the barriers that are keeping you from expressing your absolute best, the more you can exercise your power of choice to avoid them. Anyone can lead. And we are each built to be brilliant. Most people have forgotten that. And so they play victim instead of showing leadership.
Q What can HR do to develop leaders for the organisation?
A Human resources is, as always, mission critical to building cultures of people who lead without a title. In The Leader Who Had No Title I explain how a “leadership culture” is essential to creating a world-class organisation. Human resources staff can inspire that kind of a culture – one in which everyone understands that real leadership is about being the best in the world at what you do, being collaborative, being about solutions, not problems, and coming to work each day with the most positive attitude in the room.
Q What do you define as a leadership culture then?
A A leadership culture is one in which everyone who works in the organisation leads without a title. In other words, they behave like the CEO of their own area of responsibility. And deliver results rather than complain about problems.
Q How can HR get around naysayers and negative people?
A Lead by example. The very nature of leadership involves attracting resistance and naysayers. So block out the noise and stay focused in leading without a title and doing fantastic work. Don’t let the naysayers prevent you from making a difference and pursuing your vision.
Robin Sharma is the founder of Sharma Leadership International, a leadership consultancy. He is also the author of The Monk who sold his Ferrari and his latest book The Leader Who Had No Title. He was in singapore recently to speak at an event organised by HRnet Performance Consulting.
