Leadership skills you actually need.

I was reading my linkdin feed today and noticed a plethora of articles reading like this

• 6 Things a leader never does.
• 5 Habits all leaders have
• One thing all Leaders have in common.
• Etc. Etc.

The issue I have with these articles is they assume that leadership in and of itself is the end goal.  And for a manager stuck in middle management dreaming of the CEO's car parking space, it sounds very enticing.  I check off the habits that leaders have and I become a leader.  

Here is the one thing that all these articles forget.  A leader is a leader because something is following them.  Yes there are a bunch of techniques that will improve the chances of people following you, but the thing to remember is to go somewhere.

Do something awesome.  The person that creates something new is a greater leader than the person who herds people round in circles.

Go.  Be Awesome.