I know people who think that being a leader comes from having a certain title, or a position of responsibility.
I know people who believe that becoming a leader is a matter of education or experience. Some people think leaders wear particular kinds of clothes, or speak particular languages. They see leaders as behaving in some ways and not others.
People believe that leaders follow the rules that differentiate between those who are leaders and those who are not.
Leadership is not about rules. Real, honest to goodness leadership is a relationship.
Leadership is not a casual relationship. It cannot be arranged or imposed from above or from outside. Like any other personal relationship, leadership develops between people.
We do not become leaders because of what our resumes say, or where our names are on an organization chart. We do not learn leadership in school. Leadership is deeper, more intimate, than that.
Leadership grows out of trust and intuition. I learn to be able to trust myself; from that experience I learn to be able to trust other people. I gain the depth of understanding that I need to appreciate my intuition about other people.
Leadership comes from the time and effort we put into knowing ourselves well. We share our true selves with the people around us. Together, our leadership brings out the best in each of us. Together, the bond we share builds community.
The leaders who inspire me do not stand out because of the power of their personalities, or their intellect. What I remember most is the intimate time we spent working together.
Our leadership does not come from what makes us unique, but from what we share.
Is your leadership intimate?
How do you share your true self with the people around you?
[image by Eric Kilby]
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