If you ask 100 people on the street what leadership means to them, you’ll get 100 different responses.
It’s one of those things that we all experience and approach differently.
One person’s leadership is another person’s micromanagement. Some people consider it an intangible “je ne sais quoi” quality, while others have a more cut and dry definition.
A great approach to think about leadership is less as a definition, and more in terms of how, where, and why we’re required to step up as leaders – in business and in life.
Throughout our leadership life-cycle, different skills and competencies are required from us at different stages.
Let’s take a look at the three distinct stages of leadership, and how to progress through each one.
1. Primary Leadership
One of the first things you need to master as a leader is the ability to lead yourself.
If you can’t hold yourself accountable, follow through on commitments, or accept the consequences of your actions – why would anyone else under your leadership?
Primary leadership, and learning to lead yourself, is a key foundation before graduating into leading others. Not only is it key to success in life in general, but it will also command the confidence and respect of others that you need in order to lead them effectively.
2. Secondary Leadership
Secondary leadership is when we graduate into leading others.
This might be a leadership position you’ve actively pursued, or one thrust upon you by circumstance.
Regardless, now you’re here and you have a responsibility to your team to learn what it means to lead others effectively.
This is also the level of leadership that most business literature, podcasts, seminars, workshops, and guru’s focus on.
A certain amount of secondary leadership involves figuring out your own leadership style, as well as adapting to the needs of your team and business.
There’s also a need to make critical decisions, think strategically, be mission-oriented, people-management skills, delegation – and so much more.
Many people do end their leadership career here in secondary leadership, but there is a third level…
3. Tertiary leadership
This is the final and most evolved level of leadership, and it’s really about your ability to develop other leaders.
Being able to identify, develop, and support other leaders in your business is really crucial in scaling and growing your business in order to create more leverage.
It’s also key if you want to change your organisational structure, create a leadership team, take more time off, sell the practice, etc.
Really, this is the level that practice owners need to sit at.
So, knowing the three levels of leadership, I really encourage you to think about where you’re at now and what skills you need in order to graduate to the next level.
P.S Want to scale your dental practice and take your profits to 7 figure success?
Me and my team can work with you directly to get you there! Simply book in your FREE 1:1
strategy session, and we can get started on a game plan for you and your practice.
