The leadership model developed by L. Michael Hall Ph.D. is a detailed and measurable leadership model consisting of seven criteria based on studies of successful leaders.
This article will explain in detail the fourth of these criteria, Contribution, and outline specific steps you can take to improve your own leadership.
What is Contribution?
Contribution is giving our time, energy, ideas, knowledge, emotion, assistance, money, etc., to the community. Demonstrating leadership through contribution includes engaging and supporting communities that are relevant to the field in which you operate and the teams you lead.
Key questions for leadership contribution
The following key questions will help you apply this criteria in practice to become a great leader.
What have you contributed to the community?
Leaders reach out to startups and contribute their ideas and discoveries to their chosen field of expertise.
There are many different ways that you can contribute. For example, you can volunteer your time and energy to support others, either through industry forums or groups, or through charities. By exploring new areas of your field and publishing this information, you can provide thought leadership to others. Documenting best practices and procedures and sharing them through training programs and conferences also helps improve the overall level of excellence within the community. Mentoring up-and-coming people within your organization is another great way to share your skills and experience.
What investments of your time, effort, money, intelligence, etc. have you contributed?
Look back and review the various contributions you’ve made in relation to your team, field of expertise, and community. Also, review how often you have made these investments and how long it has been since you last did so. Consider whether these contributions would inspire and motivate yourself or others to participate and follow suit.
What are you doing now?
You can choose to contribute at any time. What are you doing right now that is contributing to others? What else could you be doing? If you are reading this article, perhaps you could find some useful or interesting information to distribute to others or even write something of your own to share.
There is no better time than now to start contributing to others!
Be a contributing leader
True leaders serve their community by investing in themselves, time, and energy, and by contributing to the health and vitality of those who follow. We can see this, for example, in famous business leaders such as Fred Smith (FedEx), Herb Kelleher (Southwest Airlines), and Bill Gates (Microsoft), all of whom have been significantly involved in supporting their employees and engaged in activities external organizations to develop their respective fields and also support educational and charitable organizations.
How much do you contribute to your community and your team? What else could you contribute right now?
