Leadership for non-leaders - Leadership is what you make it to be

Over the last couple of weeks, I have written about the concept of leadership and broken it down into several components. I started with leaders that seem to be universally recognised as leaders, which seems to imply that we recognise a leader when we see or meet one. I then offered up qualities that leaders should have and display as well as different leadership definitions. The width of the above is representative of my initial question - What is this concept of leadership? There does not seem to be a universal answer. A general direction - yes, a one-fits-all answer - no.

When I look at the qualities, I find that I display many of them, as would most of us. In terms of ticking a ‘do I qualify as a leader’ box, the answer in relation to qualities here is yes. Are one or more of the definitions of leadership reflective of how I actually show up or want to show up in my relationships with family, friends, colleagues, work, etc? Again, the answer here is yes. Another tick.

So what doesn’t make me a leader then is the fact that my name doesn’t come up on Google when I search for leader? If the answer here is yes, then something is wrong. There are so many leaders that don’t come up on Google despite the fact that they are leaders. So yes to this question can not be the determining factor on who is a leader and who is not.

What then is?

I think it still hinges on the meaning we give and status we attach to the words ‘leader’ and ‘leadership’, someone better than me, higher up the hierarchy, more senior, more successful, etc. Better than me / more successful at what though? Teachers can be leaders, parents and siblings can be leaders, nurses, workers, CEOs, entrepreneurs, etc. We can be leaders in our own right if we want to, if we chose or are compelled to be. Sometimes we are just recognised as leaders by those around us, when we didn’t strive to be a leader. I value that as the highest conferment of the title, when those around us consider us a leader voluntarily and in our own right.

My leadership journey did not start with the executive level. In fact, I never considered myself to be a leader. And yet, I could motivate people to take up and overcome challenges, I could rally teams and employees to consistently deliver outstanding results in corporate environments, I supported, mentored and inspired friends and colleagues, I received glowing references for driving team building and social engagement, I hiked 820 km unsupported through the Australian Alps without once accessing a village or town. I showed resilience, courage and ownership when I decided to leave my home country, move to China, leave a promising career to then study and settle in Australia. How did all of that not make me a leader in my own right? Which highly sought after leadership skills did I not display? Did I not meet the definitions of leadership that John Maxwell and Kevin Kruse put forward in the previous blog? And that is the crux. Leadership comes in many forms and it means different things to different people. But at the core of it is the ability to motivate with integrity and leave a sustainable legacy.

So back to those leaders, leadership qualities and definitions. Some wanted to be leaders from an early age, others matured into leaders and some where turned into leaders by circumstances. We don’t need to display the qualities 100% all of the time, none of the recognised leaders did. They had their doubts, fears and weak moments. By they could access and show them when they needed them. And they didn’t lead all the time either, they stepped up when the need arose, when those around them and they themselves saw the need for a leader. And often, they lead themselves, propelled forward by passions and dreams.

I am not suggesting that everyone has to be a leader, far from it. What I am driving at is, what is stopping you from stepping up to become one, from showing up as one, from being the leader (if) you chose to be?

So I’ve gone back to my initial image and added a person.

Few of the modern-day leaders did it on their own, I know I didn’t. I had support from amazing managers and access to people who supported me in my journey that included finding my unique leadership style and opening my eyes to the possibilities of being a leader. They saw my potential, passion and dreams as well as what I needed to develop and improve to get to where I wanted to be. They helped me to uncover and use my strengths, recognise my lesser strengths (not weaknesses). I learned to align and combine them and when to dig deep and access them and how to hold them in face of adversity.

Today, I am the person I always had the potential to be - a leader in my own right.

If the above resonates with you and you are looking for someone to support you in your adventure to becoming the person you have the potential and the right to be, let me know. I look forward to having your back here.