We take on the role of leader in all of our relationships when we influence the thinking, behavior or development of others. Sometimes leadership takes on an official role in an organization such as manager, teacher, pastor or coach. Sometimes it takes place in relationships defined by the structure of a family –father or mother, husband or wife, and son or daughter. Sometimes it takes place in voluntary relationships like friend, team member and volunteer worker.
So what leadership role do you play in the lives of others? Are you attempting to influence their thinking, their behavior, or their development?
And if your answer to this is ‘yes’, then ask yourself, “How am I doing as a leader?” “How effective am I at influencing those under my leadership in a way that enhances their lives or helps them to come up higher?”
The journey to becoming more effective as a leader starts in your heart. More specifically it starts with your motivation and your intentions. From your heart it must then travel through another internal domain, that of the head, which is your belief system and perspective on the role of the leader. In other words, what is your perspective and belief about leading others? All great leaders have a specific leadership point of view that defines how they see their role and their relationships to those they seek to influence. First you must understand your leadership point of view and then learn what changes in thinking are required to align your own thinking with that of the type of leader you aspire to be.
Whether you are the leader in your place of work, in your volunteer activities or in your home, take time to consider the following:
-
What type of leader am I becoming?
- Is that the type leader I want to be?
- If not, what must I do differently to become a leader that I would want to follow?
Leading others is a privilege not a right. John Quincy Adams once said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”
Can that be said of you?
|