What is leadership? It's such a simple question, yet it can mean different things to different people. While I will share with you what leadership means to me below, let's also dive into what leadership is NOT.
What Leadership is NOT
Leadership has nothing to do with titles, age, gender, seniority, or one’s position in the hierarchy of a business. Leadership also does NOT mean management. Leadership is more about the qualities you hold INSIDE of you.
What Leadership Means to Me
Here is what leadership means to me, especially when faced with discomfort, challenge, lack of knowledge, and awareness:
Qualities of a Leader
Lead with honesty.
Share knowledge to help others grow.
Create a space for others to RISE UP.
Initiate open conversations for their clients and community to talk, ask questions, and LEARN.
Focus on ACTIVE listening to create positive change.
Invest in those who have the experience, knowledge, and wisdom to share and then use that to educate their community.
Leaders show up to serve, support, empower, and educate.
Leaders take their time to ensure they create POSITIVE IMPACT and not judgement or distractions.
Leaders give to causes that matter to them.
Leaders build their clients up to have a voice.
Leaders empower their followers to take action, get uncomfortable, and do the OFFLINE work.
Leaders lead by their example.
Leaders are not competing for attention, acceptance, or acknowledgment.
Leaders do the work for the LONG TERM, for growth, for change, and for POSITIVE IMPACT.
Leaders share with integrity.
Leaders lead with LOVE.
Leaders lead with GRACE for the greater good and bigger mission.
Leaders Create More Leaders
If you currently feel like a ‘follower’ of a leader, remember that you are a leader too. To your loved ones, to your community, and to yourself. The small actions you are taking right now can create LONG LASTING change.
To my community and clients - you are ALL leaders too!
If you are doing the offline work, if you are learning, if you are creating conversations, if you are thinking of the wider mission, if you are planning for the bigger impact, if you are allowing yourself to make changes and get uncomfortable - YOU ARE BEING A LEADER ALREADY.
Let’s remember that we can use our leadership, however big or small right now, to create POSITIVE, LASTING change and at no time should we point fingers or turn the focus away from what really matters right now - celebrating the beauty in ALL lives and true equality.
Now go be a leader today!
