John Maxwell once said that anyone can be a leader. Regardless of position and regardless of title.
You can lead and you can lead now.
How often do we encounter organizations where the people who are supposed to lead the organization merely manage it. And they manage it for self gain.
The chances of there being a leader within an organization that has no title, no designated parking spot and only a small proximity of influence, yet lives every ounce of his/ her being to serve other people, takes responsibility to drive change and care for the people around them is extremely great but oftentimes unseen.
With this article I not only hope to inspire people with authority to climb off of their high horses, get on the ground and start looking after the people around them- Because your title means nothing if you don’t serve those that are under your care.
I also want to encourage those that have no title, who wonder ‘how can I make an impact and a difference?’ to look around you and see that you have influence with even the smallest group of people and that you can lead and you can lead now.
What it means to be a leader
Being a leader has absolutely nothing to do with a job title, salary or position. As Simon Sinek famously said. Being a leader is about caring and taking responsibility and looking out for the person to the left and to the right of you. It is doing what needs to be done when no one wants to do it. Standing up for something you believe in even when you are the only one standing. And speaking even if it is not your place to say anything.
No one said it’s easy
Being a leader you will fight a lot of challenges. If you are not willing to put your ego and popularity on the line don’t do it, but I see too many people with authority who are misleading those around them because they are not leading themselves and worst of all- they have their own interests at heart.
Influence over popularity
Leadership is about influence. It’s not a popularity contest. Being a great leader means you do a lot of work that will go unnoticed and when it does, you often get no credit for it, yet you have all the responsibility.
It is so often that we see people want to make an ‘impact’ yet when they have the chance to do it by merely influencing one or two people they don’t do it, because it won’t make a ‘dent in the universe’ and is too small to be advertised on social media.
Don’t ever do it for the “Gram”, do it because you truly care.
Leading others takes courage, it often causes pain and a lot of times results in backlash. Yet there is nothing more that I would rather do than take care of the people around me. Ensuring that they are okay. And although I can’t necessarily fix their problem I can help them look for a solution or at least be there to listen and support them.
I want to share with you a few lessons I learned in being a leader without a title, yet with a small proximity of influence:
- Gain influence with those who have authority or with people who have influence with those that have authority
- Listen. Listen. Listen. Listen.
- Authentic vulnerability is the key to building trust filled relationships
- It is okay to make mistakes. You are only human.
- Being a leader means you will oftentimes be alone, because leaders are pioneers who venture where others are yet to go; hence you are a leader and you walk in front.
- Build a team. No man is an island and to drive change you need to build a well oiled machine.
- Challenge others in a healthy way and learn how healthy confrontations and conflict can actually benefit a team.
- Acknowledge others. This is crucial. People need to know that they are valued and they need to know that you care and that you see them.
I do not hope to change your mind in this short condensed article. I hope for you to start thinking about how you can lead and where you can lead. And to realize that it may not always be glamorous but it is worth it.
“Lead where you are, with what you have and do what you can” — John Maxwell
