It’s interesting to note that when I ask people to think about great leadership, they don’t tend to think about traditional/famous leaders. We tend to think about those who led us. Just the other night, I was speaking at an event and I asked the group, “Can you name a person who you consider a great leader? Someone you admire for their leadership qualities and would want to emulate?”
“Yes,” they said, nodding their heads. Of course they could.
But here’s the thing: almost all of the people named WEREN’T famous. They were people like grandmas, coaches, teachers, pastors, parents, neighbors, and friends. People who are real to us.
The second question I asked the group is just as illuminating: “Now, can you name the attributes of that person, the qualities they possess and lived that earned this high praise of yours?”
And this is what they said about their leaders: they’re: “compassionate, full of charisma, great communicator, inspiring, forgiving…when I’m around them, I believe in myself more…” Do you notice a theme? All these descriptions are related to how they interact with THEM as a person; their leadership is all about their willingness to connect, communicate, inspire me, forgive me, let us make mistakes and grow and learn…
Leadership isn’t about having the most amazing strategy or productivity meter — that’s management. We manage projects and tasks; we lead people. Leadership, therefore, is how we show up to the people around us and the impact we have on them and their lives.
Photo by John Baker on Unsplash
