Are you working hard, chasing a title right now? What will that title bring you?
Folks, it’s not about the title. It’s about the person. As I have traveled and spoken to thousands of companies across the globe, I have discovered that being a manager, supervisor, team leader, or even a president or CEO doesn’t make you a leader. I have met many people with such titles who were in no way leaders—merely people higher on the organization chart who made more money than those below them on that chart.
The Colonel knew that leadership is not a position but an action. He said, “Leadership has nothing whatsoever to do with the title you hold. Leadership is an inside job. Leadership is a choice.”
He encouraged me to be a leader in every role I took on. In school, he taught me to be a classroom leader by how I conducted myself, through my participation, and through my study habits. That doesn’t mean I was ever the best student. (I certainly wasn’t!) It means he expected me to try harder than others, to be mentally present, and to put in my best effort at all times. He also expected me, whenever and in whatever way possible, to facilitate others’ learning.
When, in my career, I did step into management, Dad encouraged me to create an environment wherein my staff could grow, to empower them to make their own decisions, and to support them professionally, emotionally and intellectually. When I started my speaking business Dad consistently challenged me to lead those I spoke to so they could become leaders as well.
Leadership is a choice. It’s a decision we make every day, exhibited in what we say and what we do, regardless of the position we hold.
Read Lauren’s Whitepaper on The Nine Essentials of Significant Leadership.
