Han Solo’s Secrets to Informal Leadership
Han Solo never wanted to be in the spotlight as THE hero but he always got the job done. He can teach you how to be direct, take risks, and act decisively.
I can’t help myself. I’ve been a Star Wars fan since first seeing A New Hope in 1977 at a drive in theater. Sitting atop my dad’s Buick Riviera, I was mesmerized by the characters. The one who really impressed me was Han Solo. No super powers – just raw badassery.
I’ll confess – I’m pulling this post out of the archives for a few reasons. First, the new Star Wars is out! How could I not get on that bandwagon? Also, Han Solo kicks ass and more people need to understand his leadership skills. Plus, I’m on vacation and could use a break from writing since I’m in the middle of writing another book and my carpal tunnel is acting up. So here’s what you can learn from Han about leadership…
You have to admit, Han Solo could definitely pull off that leather vest. On top of that, he can teach all of us a thing or three about informal leadership.
We’ve all been in a role one time or another where we weren’t the “formal” leader of the team. We were just another team member trying to contribute to the greater good. Unfortunately, just when the project was going fine, a bunch of imperial stormtroopers and bounty hunters came along and changed the project charter.
The crisis clearly demands leadership. The “formal” leader likely has her hands full trying to get things back on track. If the team sits back and lets the leader lead alone, there’s a chance everything will fall apart (there are a *lot* of stormtroopers involved here).
It’s time for you to step up and lend a hand. Even though you’re not the “formal” leader in this situation, you can have a disproportionately positive impact on the outcome as an informal leader. To do so, you can tear a few pages out of Han Solo’s leadership playbook.