I absolutely love it when people say...."Hey, I'm a leader" or "I exhibit real leadership qualities" or "I've transformed myself into a leader"  It makes me chuckle slightly as everybody and their granny wants to be a leader or show leadership or in some cases simply write on a CV about their leadership qualities....  This was reinforced last week on the Fellowship Programme when we had a gaggle of headhunters and executive recruiters chatting us through some good stuff.  They made it clear that particularly on a CV, one should not plainly state "I am a leader", but reinforce this with examples, deliverables and impacts one has had when being a leader.  This raises other questions and dilemmas for some....

When I attended RMA Sandhurst many years ago, leadership at that time was about strong and determined individuals who could deliver a good set or "orders" and motivate men to follow them on a fighting patrol into the rain soaked night in freezing temperatures.  Indeed, some of the best speeches and performances in movies replicate these scenarios.  Mel Gibson as William Wallace in Braveheart comes to mind.  But one doesn't need to rally an army or be a scrapper to be a leader - right?

Which one the Dragons in the Den strikes you as the best leader?  I like Theo's wit, Deborah's clinical analyses and reaction, Peter's straight talking business brain and Duncan's toughness with his 'Am out" plenary.  However, for me, my leader on the show is James.  I like his single mindedness, his aloofness from the others at times and the personable way he conducts himself.  I would trust him to get me to the other side of Salisbury Plain.  You may agree or differ.  And that's the rub.....  They are all leaders.  It's just some people like different personality traits more.  You tell me.... You may like bureaucratic leaders, charismatic leaders, sophisticated leaders, empathetic leaders....or good old Simon Cowell.

One of my favourite leaders is Tony Soprano.  And here is where this blog moves to entrepreneurial leader.  Keeping together his cohort of 'capos' and henchmen is not an easy task.  Sure, he can be a little rough at times - having somebody whacked, but that is part of the lifestyle he has inhereted, part of the culture.  He attends his corporate meetings [sitdowns] to discuss cashflows and forecasts.  He addresses succession planning - in more ways than one.  He gets down and dirty with his guys - so he can taste what is going on at street level.  But in all this, he keeps looking for new revenue streams, new sources of income, new enterprises.  He keeps his eye on the bigger picture, while watching the artists draw.

My point here is that rather than tell people what a great leader you are on a CV or the entrepreneurial stuff you know - cash conversion cycles, bookended experience making or profit boosters, just do it..... Live it.

We can't be fictional characters and get away with murder, but we can use everything in our armoury to make things happen and change the rules of the game as we go along...who knows? We might even be leaders on the way...