What sort of title indicates that its bearer is a leader? Certainly, CEO, Store Manager, or even Shift Leader indicates leadership responsibilities. But how about clerk, machine operator, or maybe custodian; are they leaders? Maybe not in the formal sense, but not everyone who exercises leadership has a title or position that would identify them as a leader. In fact, there are those in any organization who, though they have no title or position, exercise considerable influence. It's important for formal leaders to understand that and appreciate those informal leader's contributions.

Mark Sanborn has authored a great text to help formal leaders recognize those informal leaders and their contributions. In You Don't Need a Title to be a Leader, Sanborn presents multiple examples of people who, even though they aren't in a recognized leadership position, provide effective leadership. These are people who took the initiative to make things happen. They saw what needed to be done and took action, even if they weren't in the position normally associated with the action they took.

Sanborn identifies six principles of leadership to provide the reader with a basis for exercising leadership without having the title. His principles, such things as the power of mastering self and the power of focus, provide a solid foundation and realistic approach. The author's emphasis is very clearly on what a leader can do for others. As he says, leadership is not fame and what we give is more important than what we get in life.

One of the most important things formal leaders do is develop others and help them grow into effective leaders. In doing that, the first step is to recognize potential leaders. Those who lead without a title are the sort of candidates the titled leaders should seek out and encourage. They are the ones to groom for the future as they will most likely be successful in formal leadership roles.

You leaders who already have the title should not shy away from this book. It's a good reminder for all of us. The real value comes when leaders pass the information contained in this book to those people in the organization who show that spark of leadership ability. Those are the future leaders and therefore the organization's future.