We know people who believe leadership emerges when we need it. They see crisis points in history when key world leaders were in place to make a difference.
We may know other people who believe we build leadership through our own efforts. They talk about best practices or disciplines to develop leaders. They see us working our way into leadership.
We can see what they mean, but they are not answering the essential question. While leadership is worked out in history and is produced through hard work, it originates somewhere.
Leadership comes from deep inside each of us. Leadership comes from who we are, from the values that define and shape our actions.
Who we are in our essential selves shapes our leadership. The personal foundation of our leadership explains why people lead differently from each other. Your model of leadership will not always fit me. Mine will not always fit you.
We each have different personalities and experiences, perspectives and opinions. No two of us are identical. We can work through many differences when we recognize our shared values. The leaders who inspire me build on a foundation of shared core values.
Strengthening our leadership begins with exploring our own values. We may need to brush away some dirt and dust, or dig even deeper. These are not the values we say we hold, or the values we want to hold. Our lives and actions depend on the values we actually hold, and that hold us.
It is important for us to be clear, to understand the foundation on which we are building. We need to know how strong they are, and whether there are any cracks.
Our lives depend on them.
Where does your leadership come from?
What are the values that define and shape you?
[Image by brettneilson]
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