MATT HIGGINS

I’ve seen countless graphics on LinkedIn and social media about leadership, but the most popular one seems to be the boss vs. leader meme. It adequately makes the point that a boss barks orders, while a leader helps handle the load. And, if you think about the illustration, it appropriately demonstrates that the boss actually adds to the burden. It’s not a bad lesson for hopeful or new leaders who can’t wait to “be in charge,” but it’s not really a great example of true leadership.

You aren’t actually helping your team if you just grab a share of the load. Sure, there will be times when that’s exactly what needs to happen, but the illustration has an unintended but extremely accurate hidden point. In both examples, the result is failure. The team with the “leader” isn’t necessarily going to succeed. They’ll just fail faster.

Look closely. What even the illustrator probably didn’t think about is that the team is using rollers as a mechanical advantage to move an otherwise immovable heavy block. A real leader would hop down and start moving the rollers as needed. The real leader would see the obstacle or problem and remove it or solves it. The problem here is that the rollers aren’t continually being moved to the front of the block. Simply joining in to pull might feel like it’s helping, but it’s not.

That’s the difference between helping with the work and actually leading. A leader doesn’t just pull harder. A leader figures out why the team isn’t moving.

Lead Like a Park Ranger

One way to help wrap our heads around leadership is to think of the park ranger. Park rangers are there to help. Sure, they enforce, but only when needed. An important part of their mission is to help you be successful. Spoiler: the purpose of a leader is to help the team be successful.

Leaders define the goal or, in the case of our park ranger example, the destination. The leader defines where the group is going. The leader is the “This is what we’re doing” person or the “This is the mission” person. This isn’t an order. It’s an explanation. It’s clear communication. It’s clear expectations.

Like our park ranger, a leader knows how to get there. Leaders guide the team toward the goal. So, in the same way a park ranger would, a leader gives the team a map and then lets them get there.

From clearing fallen trees to repairing trail markers, park rangers do a lot of work to ease the path. Easing the path is where real leaders shine. Real leaders straighten the path and remove obstacles. Leaders are problem solvers. They are facilitators. They serve their team.

Everyone wants to climb the proverbial ladder. And a lot of people want to be the boss. And while it’s a great lesson to know that a boss isn’t the same as a leader, there’s still a lot more to it. If you want to lead, you really need to think about the role. While some people are just naturally better at it than others, no matter what, being a leader is about intentional acts. You have to choose to communicate, guide, and serve.