Gill South: Leadership - it's about supporting others, not just helping yourself

You haven't been spending enough time in airport bookshops if you've never heard of Robin Sharma, author of bestsellers such as The Monk who sold his Ferrari, The Greatness Guide and various other self-help books.

Sharma is a former lawyer who in the late 1990s attracted worldwide success with the launch of The Monk who Sold his Ferrari, written when he was in his late 20s. The book told the fable of an overworked lawyer, Julian, who turned his life around after suffering a heart attack, finding inspiration from living in a community of monks in the Himalayas. A changed man, he returned to his hometown to talk to others about how they could change their lives and become human again, but still achieve great success.

Sharma is now an acclaimed leadership expert whose business, Sharma Leadership International, runs workshops for leaders in companies such as Nike, FedEx, Nasa, BP and Microsoft. Sharma has just finished his latest book, The Leader Who had No Title, also written in fable form, to inspire new leaders. Talking from his home in Toronto, Sharma says he was a lot like "Julian", the former lawyer who wanted to spread the secret of happiness. "Most of my work is coaching people to perform at their best in their career as well as being good human beings," he says.

"My passion is now very clear. I must help people around the world to lead without a title."

The Leader who had no Title discusses "leadership 2.0", a model in which the competitive advantage of any business comes down to a simple proposition: developing the leadership capability of everybody from the workers in the mailroom to those in the boardroom.

"Leadership is now the responsibility of every single person in the organisation," says Sharma. "Leadership is not about the title on the business card, it's a way of thinking and being ... It's about innovation, doing your best work, having a great attitude, wowing customers and about being ethical."

There is nothing wrong with being obsessive, says Sharma, who advocates concentrating on one or two passions.

"If you look at Steve Jobs, world-class skiers, Mozart, they were all obsessed at being the best at what they did," he says.

Leaders should also be focused on building a strong family life, he advocates in his books. "Leadership is about contribution and leaving people better in the world than when you found them," says Sharma.

Many managers develop an addiction to distraction, says the leadership coach.

"They have been busy being busy so they feel their busyness is getting them closer to the mountain top. But there is a huge difference between being busy and achieving results."

The first step in being a great manager is to create a clear vision of what your masterpiece is like, he suggests. Then have the courage to block out the noise, the distractions in your life and get on with it.

The Canadian, who is an advocate for meditation, urges leaders to create technology-free zones. "For most people, technology is their master," he says. "Spend time away from your BlackBerry, computer, cellphone - just focus on doing something great.".

Another mistake business leaders make is they can fall in love with a winning formula and stick with it, rather than innovating every day.

The organisations that fell in love with a winning formula - such as Motorola, and just helping yourself

Blockbuster - are now on the scrapheap of business, he says. Smart managers he has worked with at IBM, Microsoft and FedEx have all understood that "making time for a period of regeneration is not a waste of time, it's one of the best uses of your time".

If you are depleted and never take time to renew, you won't have fresh ideas, he argues: "You will be toxic to your people."

And the author says that doesn't mean taking a professional leadership course every now and then. "Every day, do something to regenerate your life, to stand strong," he suggests.

Sharma, who wrote his last book in New Zealand, based in Queenstown, says this country offers many options for true recreation, yet many people do things that don't elevate their lives or careers: "Why not do something great in the world so that you have a great life?" During his time in New Zealand, he took notice of some local leaders. James Coddington, chief executive of NZSki, was one who caught his attention. "I have watched him in action," says Sharma. "He is someone who has built a world class organisation that puts the interests of the customers first; a leader who does not work with a great title."

Air New Zealand's Rob Fyfe also won Sharma's approval. After receiving excellent service on Air NZ, the leadership expert sent Fyfe a letter congratulating him on his staff, and got a personal reply. "It showed he cared about his customers," says Sharma.

Rising early is another piece of advice Sharma offers. Some of the world's most successful leaders sacrifice sleep to stay ahead, he says. "Once you find that purpose, you won't want to spend too much time in bed. When you find something that galvanises you, that touches that burning drive, you won't want to sleep."

But don't expect instant success. It takes about 10 years to become an overnight success, as any world class athlete will tell you, says Sharma.

He says too many leaders are more interested in their title and net worth than they are about driving value for stakeholders and creating a culture where staff can be human again and do great work.

Gill South is an Auckland freelance writer