What is it to be a leader?
Leadership is not concrete or tangible. And it is almost never simply about being the person in charge.
When you’re operating in a world with overinflated titles at every turn, it’s important to remember that being a real leader doesn’t stem from a name, title or position.
The leaders of this world who really made a difference arguably never even thought of themselves as leaders at all.
So who is a leader, really?
And how do you be one, with or without a fancy title?
Take a look at the five points below. They’ll get you started.
Watch: Drew Dudley’s six-minute witty and humble talk on how you can be a leader every day. What elements of Drew’s story resonate with you?
Reflect: In his TED talk, Dudley describes leadership as moments of powerful interpersonal impact. Think about your day so far. Or your week.
What have been the most significant moments of interpersonal impact that you’ve experienced?
And what lolipop moments have you inspired?
What has that felt like?
Be a champion: In this editorial piece, Jimmy Brown assimilates the qualities of a leader to that of a champion.
A champion is someone who commits themselves and their organization, to winning in the global market place through agility, creativity, and honesty. They are not afraid to make bold moves that not only benefit their organizations, but also serve the greater good. In other words, they are not just focused on motivating top performance now, but also to helping their organization evolve to meet future needs. Moreover, they are not just looking at the organization, but the broader world.
What are you championing right now?
What opportunities exist to be a bigger champion, upwards, downwards, across and beyond your organisation?
What is one step you could take today to expand your reach?
For more, thinking on championship, read Izabela Lundberg’s Forbes piece on Why Champion Culture is needed more than ever.
Read: For aspiring leaders, David Burkus’s piece for Ted’s Be A Better Human series will help you show what you can do.
Be fearless: Don’t wait until someone anoints you with the title of ‘leader’. If you truly knew how impactful you could be, what could be possible for you and the world around you?
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