Not necessarily in the formal sense of either word. Those who adopt a teaching mentality and methodology will find themselves with active followings. Regardless of size, these followings rarely need defending and will continue to grow to the degree to continue to connect, share, and give value.
To those who strive for leadership in market share, organizational, or performance will find their achievements fragile and short-lived.
A DEEPER LOOK:
Teaching is a selfless act of investing in others with the majority of any return to come AFTER the student receives the benefit. It requires one to understand where others are, and simply connect with them before offering to build bridges to where they want to grow.
Some of the best bridges include; shared contacts, introductions, knowledge, ideas, activities, and habits.
It is a natural phenomenon echoed throughout the animal kingdom; yet often depicted as void in too many institutions and organizations.
What’s more; teachers create more teachers – read also teaching leaders create more teaching leaders – powering future generations of positive partnership experiences.
If you want to build a sustainable business or a lasting legacy; make genuine teaching a central part of your endeavors.
Go forth and teach. Go forth and LEAD!
HOW TEACHING-LEADING MIGHT LOOK IN MARKETPLACE?
You might make a core tenet of your brand is to teach, share, or inspire. Your communications would exude the theme more than making claims.
You can provide forms, tools, and information that helps prospective buyers opt-in deeper, or opt out altogether. Social media and web content can include ‘trade secrets’ or explain complex processes in simpler terms.
It is always good to understand your position in a particular marketplace – where you excel, AND situations where you might not be the best solution. It is also helpful to understand the same for competitors. While recommending an opportunity that is less-than-ideal for you to a competitor where they might be better served sounds like building your competition; you are really building high trust in the industry.
HOW TEACHING-LEADING MIGHT LOOK IN AN ORGANIZATION?
Leadership in organizations often follows a command and control model – where those at the top control all information, and command action/behaviors. Teaching-Leadership is about empowering generations of people to work with high levels of autonomy, accountability, execution, and information-sharing.
Clear objectives and fuzzy paths can (and should) coincide. After investing time and energy into hiring qualified talent, allow them opportunities to deliver and shine. Mentoring and coaching are fantastic tools to incorporate, but they must be sincere in order to be valued or even productive.
The best place to start is with people who already garner high trust among peers – especially when no position is available.
BRINGING MARKET AND ORGANIZATION TOGETHER.
When you dedicate to teacher-leader philosophy, it changes the way the organization communicates internally AND externally. When these are aligned, it helps attract customers, employees, and leaders who are eager to promote and support the initiatives. The culture also promotes higher levels of retention among teams.
When they are mis-aligned, it often drives up costs on both fronts. Employees and leaders seek higher compensation and/or benefits, higher errors or claims against benefits, higher rates of turnover, etc. It also leads to higher customer acquisition costs, lower retention or lifetime client values, and longer sales cycles.
David R Frick 
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