Lynda Weinman is an American business owner, author and computer instructor. She founded and owns Lynda.com, which is one of the most successful education companies today. Dozens of her books have landed best-seller lists. Though her organization raked in $100 million in 2012 (Forbes), Lynda has said that “making money is what you have to do to sustain a business – being driven to make something of value and purpose is much more powerful.” Clearly Lynda has impacted the lives of many people and is innately a leader. But what are some of her strengths as a leader?
Leadership Qualities of Lynda Weinman
- A learner –
Lynda has admitted that she loved learning from an early age. Tracking her experiences through the years, it becomes clear that her passion for learning has translated significantly to her success as a leader. Were it not for her desire to learn, she never would have sought out a school that allowed her to study her subjects of interest, she never would have accepted an assistant position to an animator in order to learn his skills, she never would have learned the secrets of computer graphics, she never would have taught herself how to launch a business that now has over 4 million members (Business Wire). It’s easy for leaders to forget they still have more to learn, but it’s always true. Leaders who seek growth as a professional and in their technical skills attain continued success.
- A teacher –
It is widely recognized that a key quality of leadership is the ability to teach and inspire others. This is at the heart of who Lynda Weinman is as a person. In The Lynda.com Story, Lynda explains that she spent many years in a film industry career and dabbling in computer graphics. But when Lynda taught a guest lecture for a college, she was offered a full-time position which she couldn’t refuse. She knew immediately after her first lecture that she was passionate about teaching. She loves giving other people the tools to succeed. That is a sure sign of a leader.
What is the big take-away of studying Lynda Weinman’s leadership? It’s that leaders are both learners and teachers. Just as the Earth continually spins on an axis, new information continually whirls into existence. In order to encourage or inspire others, one must learn and teach. Or else, what does a leader have to offer?
Image 1 Photo Credit: Scott Beale via Flickr
Image 2 Photo Credit: Lynda.com via wikipedia commons
Related Reads:
Mary Barra’s Leadership
Warren Buffet’s Leadership Qualities
Leadership Qualities of Jeff Bezos
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