One of my mentors, Dr. Adam Pearlman the Founder and Director of the Leadership Program in Integrative Healthcare at Duke University, reminded me that leadership is not something some people do sometimes, rather it is something we are, all of the time.
You see, leadership is not just for the politicians, the big business moguls, or the Tony Robbins of the world. Leaders are not just those people over there.
If you have a sphere of influence, and you do, you are a leader – whether you have ever conceptualized yourself as one, or not.
If you own a business, if you are an employer, if you represent a business in the capacity of receptionist, sales clerk, sales manager, technician, etc., you are a leader. You have the ability to influence clients, prospective clients, team members, etc., and that makes you a leader.
Leadership does not stay at work. Leadership comes home with you. Consider, how do you lead your family? How are you showing up for your mate? Your kids? Your community? What about the people around you in that traffic jam? Are you congruent in the way you lead at work and the way you lead at home?
Leadership does not stay at home either. See, if you are on social media sites, such as FaceBook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., you have a following, and your follows are a part of your sphere of influence. How are you showing up for them?
People are watching and listening to you all of the time, even when you may not be aware of it. They are assessing whether or not you are someone they want to engage with, either professionally or personally. Are you consistent in your business brand messaging? Are you congruent in your leadership approach? Or, are there disconnects between how you show up as a leader at work, at home and in your social media?
If there is inconsistency, is this serving your business and career goals? Does it serve you in the way you want to show up for your mate? Your child(ren)? Your personal and business relationships?
So, if you never thought of yourself as a leadership being before, I have just forced a red or blue pill (I can’t remember which one it is) on you, and now you cannot go back. But you can go forward as the leader you desire to be.
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