 | We All Need The Same Training |
| Leadership vs. Management |
| What Is Leadership? |
| Human Wants |
| Four Competencies Needed |
| Three Kinds Of Leaders |
| Primary Needs |
| Secondary Needs |
Three Kinds Of Leaders
When it comes to leading, we need to be aware that there are basically three kinds of leaders: the creators, the maintainers, and the destroyers. We need to know which one best describes us. And we need to be aware that, at times, we may be one or another—or all three.
The Creators
The creators choose to take responsibility. 
They choose to make things happen. They choose to help people be successful—and they know that those they lead are their biggest responsibility and biggest asset. They are action- and results-oriented. They work continually to generate interest, enthusiasm, competency, and achievement.
Creators are both the receivers and the initiators of ideas, suggestions, aspirations, actions, and results. They are geared to meet the needs of customers and help everyone get the work and mission of the organization accomplished. They do so by choosing to be positive, proactive, progressive, mission-oriented people who try to maximize the strengths of those being led. They focus continually on helping people get better. The creators choose to position themselves to be the guidepost or point of reference for those being led. Creators make excellent employees. They also make excellent executives.
The Maintainers
The maintainers choose to function from a different platform. They can keep something going—and keep it going very well. But they can't and don't initiate much of anything new on their own. And they can't add to, create, or improve without the input, approval, and assistance of others. Rather than continually trying to improve on what's being done, they simply choose to keep the same things going in the same way. They choose to use last year's plans and last year's standards. They operate a department or the whole company in the same way it has always been operated—regardless of the results of such functioning.
They make great assistants, but they don't do well as chief executive officers. They make great aides, but not very good foremen. In fact, they may be great in support positions, but not good as the head of anything. However, we need to be aware that maintaining is a great asset—and maintainers fill a vital need in any organization.
We need maintainers. We must have them. It's one thing to start or create something—it's quite another to keep it going. We all know well that when we give maintainers an ongoing task or responsibility, it is in good hands. And if maintainers need help in improving a task or adding to a service, the leader can provide the input—and the maintainer will keep things going. Therefore, maintainers are a positive factor in the organization. But a close look will reveal that they are better doers, followers, and managers than leaders. At times, however, we all have to function as a maintainer in the organization.
The Destroyers
Fortunately, the destroyers are the only real danger in an organization. And some in leadership positions do choose to lead from this platform. They believe sorting out and eliminating will solve any problems being experienced. They are master "cutters"—of projects, tasks, opportunities, services, duties, responsibilities, and jobs. If employees complain about the food in the cafeteria, for instance, destroyers always have the same answer to the problem: close the cafeteria. If two employees are talking too much in the office, destroyers will impose a "no talking at any time" rule for everyone—or choose some form of punishment to solve the problem.
These leaders never choose to create, build, or improve. They never choose to do more or add service. They don't even choose to maintain. They can't. In fact, they usually don't think too much about what the company can or should be doing. Rather, they only choose to think about what they, the company, or the staff shouldn't be doing, shouldn't have to do, doesn't need to do, or can't do.
The destroyers choose to believe that not doing is the answer to all problems. And they try to convince others that "cutting" is the best course of action. Unfortunately, they will wake up one morning and find out that they—as well as the part of the organization they are leading—aren't doing very much of anything anymore. Why? Termination has been their approach to leadership.
Choosing The Right Stance
To be a successful leader, one must choose to be a creator as well as a maintainer. And there are times and situations where we must serve well in both roles. And, of course, there are times when we will be required to eliminate and discard the old for the new—and something that doesn't work for something that does. Yet, we need to know that there is a big difference between making proactive changes and being a destroyer. If we have any experience at all, we can easily identify the destroyers in our ranks. We know them well. We don't like them. They scare us—and for good reason.
Success in leadership is achieved by reaching one's potential and helping others do the same. First and foremost, however, one must be able to be a creator and a maintainer. A leader must choose to identify the needs and acquire the abilities to make things happen—and cause others to want to do the same.