Leadership Library or Laboratory?
Wednesday, March 24th, 2010
It is not enough merely to read books about leadership or to proclaim that we are students of leadership, or want to be leaders. It is not enough to fill our bookshelves with books by Maxwell, Collins, Buckinham, and videos of Fish, Cheese and how to make Steam.  True Leadership is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the joy and growth of real leadership while we standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes.
“Leadership” is best defined as an action verb.  Leaders learn yes, but they don’t learn in the library as much as they do in a laboratory. That we must learn and seek to know is a must. But this just gives us the ability to apply for a position of leadership. It is as we APPLY what we know that we gain experience. It is when theories are tested, and principles applied and put into practice that leadership is proved, and improved.Â
 One of my favorite college instructors, was in fact a substitute, who I only had the privilege of being with for 3 hours…but whose wisdom shared in those 3 hours has shaped my life almost more than any other. His name was Alma Heaton, and he taught me that life is a laboratory… a place for us to experiment, to put ourselves, our ideas and our theories to the test. Knowledge is only power if we put it to the test, use it, prove it, improve it and then improve our lives and the world with it. So get your white coats on…and meet me in the lab….. the Leadership Lab. :) Â
See you there. Kirk
