Are You A Leader Or A Boss?
For ages, there has been a debate between a boss and a leader. Perhaps it is the right time to put a full stop.

Understanding whether you are a leader or a boss requires more than self-reflection. It demands a more detailed look at how you interact with your team and handle various aspects of your designation.

The difference between a boss and a leader lies in your behavior, language, and approach to challenges and successes.

Here’s a closer look at what distinguishes a leader from a boss and some reflective questions to help you evaluate your own leadership style.

The core of leadership is how you engage with your team. Do you support and empower them or sit above them, issuing commands? I found that sitting on top of a hierarchical pyramid was “painful on my bottom.” The more rewarding experience was being a supportive leader rather than an aloof boss.

My friend and mentor, Chris Holmberg, founder of Middle Path Consulting, echoes this idea. He emphasizes that true leaders operate in the middle ground of "WE/US," which fosters an inclusive and supportive environment. By positioning yourself within the team rather than above it, you create a space for collaboration and mutual respect.

Leaders recognize the collective effort behind success. They use words like "OUR vision" and "OUR success" to acknowledge the team's contributions. Conversely, bosses often resort to "MY vision" and "I had great success," highlighting their own importance.

Leaders view challenges as collective obstacles. They ask, "How can I help YOU?" demonstrating their commitment to finding solutions together. On the other hand, bosses tend to say, "These are the challenges YOU will face," shifting the burden solely onto the team.

Similarly, leaders own failures and shield their teams from internal politics. They say, "These are OUR issues. How can WE solve them?" However, bosses resort to blame, leaving team members discouraged with the phrase, "This is why YOU failed."

Leadership is about two-way communication. Leaders genuinely seek feedback on their own contributions by asking, "What feedback do you have for me?" Bosses, on the other hand, focus solely on where the team went wrong with a critical, "YOU went wrong here."

Leaders also share responsibility for results. Instead of focusing on "YOUR numbers," they ask, "How do YOU feel about OUR numbers?" This demonstrates their concern for the team's well-being and encourages open dialogue.

Leadership extends beyond talk. Leaders walk the talk by consistently demonstrating the values they champion. Conversely, bosses often rely solely on pronouncements with little follow-through.

Humble leaders are considerate of the time and work of their team. Rather than making a demand like, "Come see me now," they ask, "Can I come see you?" This polite behavior reflects their understanding of the team's valuable time.

True leadership isn't about a title. It's a role earned through respect and trust. Leaders inspire their teams to naturally bestow the "Leader" title upon them. Bosses, however, tend to grab the title "BOSS" without earning it.

Leadership is about more than just dictating orders. Influential leaders leverage a combination of trust, respect, care, coaching, and shared workload. Bosses, on the other hand, rely on authority and control to manage their teams.

Great leaders inspire their teams to achieve their full potential. They mentor and lead by example, fostering the growth of the next generation. Bosses, however, are threatened by a team's potential and try to maintain control.

The journey from being a boss to a leader is ongoing and requires commitment. By focusing on supportive behaviors, collaborative language, and genuine and supportive actions, you can create a more engaged and motivated team.

So, are you a leader or a boss? Reflect on your behaviors, language, and interactions with your team to gain insight into your leadership style.

If you’re interested in exploring these concepts further and enhancing your leadership skills, I (Mike Plaxton) recommend reading my book “Reflections of a Leader.”
Based on my 50+ years of experience in different leadership roles, “Reflections of a Leader” challenges conventional wisdom and offers a fresh perspective on the complexities of leading people and organizations. By emphasizing real-world application and personal development, readers are better equipped to reach their leadership potential and leave a lasting impression.

Through personal anecdotes, strategic insights, real-life examples, tips, and actionable advice, this book will guide you on a transformative journey of self-discovery and leadership excellence.
Get your copy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1917399316/.

Lessons from My Roots
How My Early Life Shaped My Values

Starting at the bottom of my career and ending up as a four-time CEO, I often reflect on how fortunate I’ve been. Then, thinking more rationally, I realized my journey wasn’t just luck. It was built on values shaped from an early age, largely by my upbringing. My family life instilled the key qualities that guided me through my career. Many of our core values are formed during childhood, and mine certainly were.

My parents married just before World War II, and like many working-class men, my father was called up to serve. My mother worked in a munitions factory while raising four children. We lived in rural Yorkshire, where my father earned a modest living as a farm laborer. Despite limited means, he had a clear vision for us. He encouraged us to take advantage of the free education system in the UK and to pursue the university education he had never had. He was determined, and in the end, three of his sons went on to university—one becoming a Commander in the Metropolitan Police, one an architect aspirant, and one a chemist. The fourth son became a successful farm manager by choice rather than attending university.

My father believed in what he called the "University of Life"—the idea that learning through experience was just as valuable as formal education. This became a cornerstone of my own approach to life and career. As I worked alongside him on the farm, I absorbed crucial lessons that later became the values driving my success.

First and foremost, my father taught me the importance of hard work and perseverance. He believed in working hard every day, regardless of the outcome. Some days would go well, others not so much, but the key was to focus on the daily tasks and not give up. I learned that success comes from consistently putting in the effort, no matter the setbacks. This attitude carried me through my career, where the focus on daily progress helped me achieve bigger goals over time.

Respect for people was another core value my father instilled in me. He showed through his actions that people, whether customers or colleagues, should be treated with care and respect. I saw firsthand how important it was to build relationships and work alongside others. As a CEO, I applied this lesson by ensuring I engaged with my teams and valued their contributions. Success, I learned, is built on people and relationships.

My father also taught me the power of networking. Though we lived in a small rural community, he knew everyone, and I saw how those connections could be helpful in the future. Networking back then was all about face-to-face interactions, and I carried that lesson with me throughout my career. Building strong connections and maintaining relationships became critical to my professional success.

Another important lesson was understanding that the world is bigger than the place you’re from. My father recognized that the world was changing, and he encouraged us to leave home, go to university, and explore. This broadened perspective gave me the confidence to take on new challenges far from home, eventually leading me to spend the last 30 years of my career in Asia.

Facing reality and learning from tough feedback was something my father also emphasized. He taught me that it’s not the compliments that drive growth but rather the honest, often difficult, feedback. By being honest with myself, I could improve and move forward.

Perseverance was another crucial value. My father always told me to never give up, even in the face of setbacks. His belief in sticking with it until success came was something I held onto throughout my career. Whether it was a difficult business challenge or a personal setback, I learned to keep pushing forward.

Finally, my father taught me the importance of collaboration. He often enlisted help from others for challenging tasks on the farm, showing me that working together gets you much further than working alone. This lesson was a key part of my leadership philosophy, where engaging with others, seeking their input, having empathy and understanding, and working as a team led to greater success than I could ever achieve on my own.

Through my book Reflections of a Leader, I look back on my career and see how important the values my father instilled in me have been. Hard work, respect for people, networking, embracing challenges, facing reality, perseverance, and collaboration were the foundation of my success and can guide others towards individual and collective success.

“Reflections of a Leader” is a candid and insightful exploration of leadership, drawing upon Mike Plaxton's 50 years of experience. This book and memoir challenge conventional wisdom and offer a fresh perspective on the complexities of leading people and organizations. With an emphasis on real-world application and personal development, this book gives readers the tools they need to reach their full leadership potential and leave a lasting impression on their personal and professional lives.

Through personal anecdotes, strategic insights, real-life examples, tips, and actionable advice, Mike Plaxton invites readers to embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery and leadership excellence.

Get your copy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1917399316/.

Empowering Leaders For Tomorrow
Unlocking Essential Business Leadership Skills
"Leadership is not a personality trait; it is a skill.”

Do you want to become a successful leader and lead your startup to success?

Creating a supportive environment that fosters equality and support, as well as a sense of acceptance, possibilities of growth and development, and a scene of security and tranquility, all comes down to outstanding leadership style.

Leadership is not about being in charge or taking control. Instead, it is about taking care of those who are working under your supervision. Good leaders or effective leaders are those who take care of their employees and attract, retain, and inspire them to achieve their very best.

Therefore, it is vital to actively establish solid and coherent leadership in your company, challenge your own private leadership methods, and develop your own personal leadership style right from the beginning. Why? To help you and your team achieve a common goal, even in the most challenging times.

Here are some leadership qualities to be noted:

Have an open mind: Having an open mind and looking for people who are so inclined means being curious about your surroundings, understanding others, putting yourself out there, and seeking feedback to understand how you could improve a situation, yourself, and your actions. It is about being flexible and adaptive towards your team and allowing them the opportunity to put their concerns and be ready to take on their guidance when the opportunity arises.

Emotional Intelligence: Emotional intelligence allows you to connect with your teams on a human level, fostering a culture of trust, openness, and mutual respect. By being attuned to the emotions of your team members, you, as a leader, can not only address concerns effectively but also celebrate successes with genuine appreciation. A humanistic approach, characterized by active listening and understanding, creates an environment where employees feel valued and motivated to give their best.

Learn and grow: Each engagement with your team is an opportunity to learn and grow. There is nothing wrong with admitting that you don't know everything. There are those who have been here longer than you, worked in sectors longer than you, and still require ongoing education and counsel to advance. Listen, learn, and observe what makes sense for you; develop your own route while learning from the mistakes of others. When starting a business, you don't have time to keep doing the same things.

Take time for reflection: Reflect on events in your business and personal life on a regular basis, and allow time for your teams to do the same. Share that goal on a frequent basis, and let your team members know whether or not the company is on track. Furthermore, it is crucial to share with your team what the competitor is up to but do not let it motivate you or them. Your aim and your aspirations are what motivates you to achieve absolute success.

Be responsible: Keep in mind that as a leader, it is your job to stay high level, look to the future, set goals, and create opportunities for everyone, but not to micromanage. In fact, it is counterproductive, and it will hinder your company as you go through the stages of growth. Therefore, take your role seriously and be responsible for your actions.

Leadership can be complex, but with time, effort, and dedication, anyone can learn to become an aspiring leader. For more insight and learning on leadership, effective management, or business success, check out the book “Reflections of a Leader.”

“Reflections of a Leader” is a profound exploration of the intricacies and complexities of leadership. Drawing on a lifetime of experience, the author offers a candid and insightful perspective on the challenges, triumphs, and lessons learned in the pursuit of leadership excellence. This book is not merely a theoretical treatise but a practical guide that equips readers with the tools and knowledge necessary to navigate the ever-changing landscape of leadership. With a focus on personal growth, team building, and strategic decision-making, Reflections of a Leader inspires and empowers individuals to reach their full potential as leaders.