Understand leadership roles by comparing leadership to something else.

Leader as:

1. Glue: connecting people to each other’s dreams.
2. Curious monkey: seeking and creating clarity with courageous questions.
3. Bulldozer: pushing through barriers by exploring resistance.
4. Prognosticator: predicting the future by seeing patterns in the past.
5. Coach: building winning teams.
6. Road sign: calling for alignment.
7. Instigator: challenging accepted beliefs and behaviors in order to confront stagnation and create something new.
8. Guardian: protecting resources and progress.
9. Mentor: sharing useful experiences that guide.
10. Magic Eight Ball: making decisions.
11. Police man: correcting, enforcing, and holding accountable for the common good.
12. Partner: sharing the load by honoring and leveraging strengths.
13. Magnet: attracting followers by focusing on shared values.
14. Communicator: conveying relevant information that empowers.
15. Servant: seeking the success of others.

Leader as curious monkey:

My favorite comparison is curious monkey. The trouble with questions is they create confusion, at least at first.

The path to clarity…