who is the leader?

I have attended a couple of seminars recently that stress the virtues of being a leader instead of a manager.

I believe everything (or almost everything) I have heard at these seminars. But they have me wondering if they were preaching to the choir about how to be a leader. The seminars focus on your treatment of your subordinates, fellow workers and customers as a leader, and make a great beatitude story.

But my question is: why do you want to be the leader, what were you doing that made you a leader and do you know why you are leading?

I think there have been more than enough allegory books written explaining how to be a leader and how to treat your employees. And it's no leap of faith to understand it will make you a better person and your people will listen to you. But that's where it always ends. What are the decision processes of a leader? What are the goals and objectives of a leader? Do you become a leader because you understand the mission statement/goals/objectives of the company, or do you become a leader because you're good at your job? We all know the Peter Principle and worked to be a good manager. That's not sufficient now, we must be leaders.

I think a seminar needs to be put together with the focus: "You've arrived, now what?" How do you convey the company objectives? How to keep people on task as you move them and hopefully your company forward? There are definite setbacks along the way, such as developing someone and their leaving for greener pastures. I know all the stories say the money is not the reason our employees stay, but it sure seems to be the reason they leave. How to deal with that gaping hole in your organizational structure would be a great seminar.

We're all human and have the penultimate bad day, so one subject should be how to apologize for being human. Maybe I can get some comments here and then I'll teach the seminar!