Scaling Leadership

Chapter 8 How Leaders Scale Leadership Learning from One Man’s Example

People often wonder if leadership is something you’re born with or if it can be learned—improved with knowledge, practice, and feedback. The answer is an unequivocal yes.

We are all differently gifted. Some us may be born to lead; still, the leadership ability we are born with must be developed, coached, and exercised regularly, just as natural abilities or talents in athletics, the arts, and other pursuits can be fully realized through practice. Regardless of what natural leadership traits you bring to the table, your leadership ability can and should be developed.

However, to have a developmental (if not transformative) effect on your people, your teams, your organization, and the world around you, you must scale your leadership. This chapter takes a close look at just how to do that.

Case in Pont: Jeff Hilzinger

Jeff Hilzinger has shown us that leadership can be learned, honed, developed, and scaled. Jeff is the CEO of Marlin Business Services, a commercial finance company that provides commercial equipment financing and working capital loans to small businesses across the United States so they can acquire new equipment and technology while preserving capital. Marlin’s value proposition is centered on providing excellent service and delivering on commitments made to equipment dealers, manufacturers, resellers, distributors, brokers, and their customers.

Jeff is a High-Creative leader, but he wasn’t ...