Leadership = Making a Positive Impact
One thing that 2020 has delivered is clarity on the meaning of leadership. While uncertain times certainly create unrest and unease, they also create something else - Joy & Moxie. It is during great times of chaos and fear that great leaders emerge. We see how ordinary people take extraordinary steps to creating change. We see how passion and persistence creates movement. And we see how those movements empower others to do and become more.
As a global family, we've experienced many interesting and unexpected events this year; from Australian wildfires, to devastating floods in Indonesia, from the Coronavirus pandemic, to anti-racism protests, oh, and murder hornets. 2020 is proving to be a memorable year and we're only half way through it! But what I hope will be more memorable is what we make from the challenges and hardships.
Leadership isn't about a title you may or may not have, it's about the impact you have on the lives and world around you. The experiences you choose to support, create, improve, or abolish completely speak to your character and are more defining to your legacy than the words you speak.
7 Leadership Skills You Can Employ to Make a Positive Impact:
Lead by educating. The combination of your education, life experiences, and observations creates your own unique perspective and strategy. Sharing your perspective and thought processes with others enables them to continue expanding their thought diversity and shapes how they react and respond to future events. Sometimes being a great leader means sharing your knowledge and experiences.
Lead by listening. Crises are times for leaders to step up, but more importantly, lean in. Acknowledging current events and allowing others to openly share their thoughts and feelings, without judgement or fear of repercussions, is what builds empathy and trust. Sometimes being a great leader means creating a safe space for conversations on uncomfortable subjects.
Lead by empathizing. If you're actively listening, you start to better understand the perspectives of others. Truly understanding those perspectives enables connection, collaboration, and compassion for beings. Sometimes being a great leader means understanding the thoughts and feelings of others and feeling them as if they are your own.
Lead by vocalizing. It's about advocating for those who feel unheard or are too afraid or nervous to share. Sometimes being a great leader means speaking up and saying the thing everyone is thinking but nobody wants to say.
Lead by defending. It takes courage to be the first or singular person standing up against an action, opinion, decision, or stance because it doesn't align with what is ethically or morally correct. Sometimes being a great leader means doing what's unpopular because you know it's what's right.
Lead by amplifying. When you have a following or platform that can help bring awareness to struggles, hardships, achievements, and good deeds done - use it to shine the light on others. Invite others to share their experiences through you. Sometimes being a great leader means giving the mic to others.
Lead by mobilizing. Words are not enough, action is needed to make real change. Executing on intentions for change in a timely and efficient manner can be difficult and is often why even the greatest intentions go unfinished. Once you've made the vision clear, suggest concrete steps to be taken to make forward progress possible. Sometimes being a great leader means bringing people together to achieve a common goal.
Making a positive impact on the world around you can be done in so many small and big ways. Use your unique talents and strengths to create, educate, amplify, spread kindness, donate, vocalize, and mobilize movements of positivity.
How are you choosing to make an impact?
