Let me be clear, when I say leaders are boringly predictable, I am not talking about their strategies or actions. Every situation is unique and gets the best out of good leaders. Look deeper and you will be able to see that their decisions and actions are mostly rooted in their core values. You can agree with them or hate them, but you cant ignore them.
If you are a student of history as I am, you can name some very bad leaders who have done some very bad things. But the one thing they have in common with other great leaders is the strength of their core beliefs and values. That is what is infectious about them. That is what makes people rally around them and in some cases that is what makes people ignore the mistakes these leaders make. Because at the bottom of their hearts the followers are following the beliefs of the leader and not the leader himself.
Taking it to the corporate world, the key difference between a manager and leader is how they get things done. Managers get it done by following a structured approach, meticulous follow-ups and perhaps using some creativity or authority as the situation may demand. Leaders achieve same or better outcomes by influencing and inspiring others around them at putting their best foot forward.
When people around you see that you are acting in a certain way, and taking certain decisions they realize at some point that there are some common themes in your decision making process. The people in your inner circle start realizing that there is a sense of predictability about you and that your actions are driven directly or indirectly by your core values. That is the time when you start influencing people and truly earning their respect and beginning your journey to be a leader.
Most people use the fundamental right vs wrong decision making process. When faced with right vs right situations or faced with ambiguity – managers tend to either follow the rules to the dot or take the path of least resistance. Only very few have the courage to stick to their core values, even if the imminent outcome may not be best for the situation. Because they truly believe in their core values and know that while in the short term implications may be unfavorable, in the long run their beliefs will prevail. This is when the core fabric of the individual is tested and leaders are born.
Leadership Chasm 