Leadership = ???

As the first few days of summer band approach, I think about the leadership within my group. We have student leaders and I rely on them heavily. Unlike a football team, which may have 10 or 12 coaches, there is but one of me so if I don't have good, reliable leaders to help me...I am sunk. So I thought what makes a good leader. Somebody once told me "All great leaders have had two distinct and common characteristics. They understand the chain of command and they have a sense of urgency. " That seems like pretty good stuff to me. I have always said you don't have to have a title to be a leader. You don't have to be a "section leader" to make a difference. In the spring I will often get questions from younger students about what they have to do to be a student leader and when are the tryouts? The answer is always the same. "You try out every day." I believe leadership has many different levels. Some are elected into leadership, while others have it thrust upon them. I had a student my first year at Batesburg-Leesville named Michael Lewis. He was a freshman and an OK trumpet player. Well the other trumpet players who had been pretty good decided to quit because there was new band director and maybe some other reasons too. I don't really care. They weren't there and I wasn't calling them so anyway...Michael came to band camp and he was the oldest most respectful trumpet student so I appointed him section leader. He was a shy kid and very quite. He didn't ask to be section leader...He was assigned. Over the years, his playing improved drastically but he always had trouble sightreading. I never worried though. I knew the next day he would have the part correct. That is a leader. He led by example. He did what had to be done and I never had to tell him to do it. I don't know what he is doing today but I bet he does well at it. Leaders don't tell others to do what they don't want to do. They do what others don't or won't do. They don't tell you how to do it. They show you. They don't always stand in front. Many times they are not even seen. Somebody once asked me why I don't go to the front of the line at meals. After all I am the DIRECTOR! Why? Because my students should always be served first. If there is any left, then I eat. (Sometimes there is none left though.) So what qualities to good leaders have? Well I can't really tell and I bet you can't either. There is just something about them but one thing is for sure. If you want to see a true leader, find a group in times of disappointment and look for the one everybody else is following. THAT IS THE LEADER.

" People ask the difference between a leader and a boss...

A leader works in the open and the boss in covert.

The leader leads and the boss drives." - Theodore Roosevelt

To lead people, walk beside them...As for the best leaders, people do not notice their existence. The next best, the people honor and praise. The next people fear; and the next, the people hate...When the best leader's work is done the people say, "We did it ourselves!" - Lao-tsu