I know people who think becoming a leader is a result, a goal.
People set out on a campaign to achieve leadership. If they accomplish their objectives each month, they will become a leader by the end of the year. They may view becoming a leader as similar to making the playoffs. If they win enough during the regular season, they can play for larger awards. They may approach becoming a leader the same way they would earn a degree or some other credential. If they pass all their tests, leadership will be bestowed on them. They may see becoming a leader the way they would run for office. If they do not make any mistakes and defeat their competition, they will earn their way into leadership.
Some people understand becoming a leader as arriving, a reward for their performance. They think they become a leader once and for all.
That is not what I mean when I talk about leadership.
Leadership is not about achieving something or having someone else reward us. Leadership is not a place where we arrive. Leadership is not a special occasion. Leadership happens on each step of our everyday journey.
Leadership is not something in the future, down the road, on a distant horizon. We discover and develop our leadership on each step of the way. The seeds of our leadership sprout and grow within us. We exercise, building the strength of our leadership muscles each day.
Other people may not be able to see the strength of our leadership from the outside right away. We may have deceptive leadership, the way some people are deceptively strong.
Each day we build strength in many ways and our leadership shadow grows.
How are you building leadership muscle today?
What helps your leadership grow stronger?
[Image by smswigart]
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