My Leader is not your leader
…and never will be
A good leader will
take us on journeys of growth
challenging newness
How many leadership blogs, books, and papers have you read? How many podcasts about leadership have you listened to? How well do you understand what makes a good leader? Like me, you’ve probably read a gazillion.
This blog is not about those books.
The other day I was asked to define leadership. Not so easy. I began to think about what makes a good leader. Not from a book but from my experience. Sure, I’d have a book or two lying around that could give me some sort of a response, but I need to define this in my own words.
I needed to think deeply about what leadership means to me without wondering who’s words I’m using. I needed to get this out. And then process.
We’ve all experienced a variety of leaders. Good ones, bad ones, in between ones. We know them all. Until a new one comes along.
If someone asked me what a leader does, I’d have to respond:
- A leader isn’t necessarily a leader.
- A leader laughs.
- A leader cries.
- A leader breathes.
- A leader sighs.
- A leader doesn’t lead.
- A leader questions.
- A leader trusts.
- A leader believes.
- A leader smiles.
- A leader opens doors.
- A leader understands.
- And sometimes, just sometimes, a leader manages.
So then I got to thinking and reflecting about some of my favourite past and present leaders. WHat made them ‘my kind of leader’?
- They empowered me through opportunity.
- They led me through me story telling.
- They guided me through questioning.
- They provoked me with the truth.
- They shared their legacies.
- They pushed me to explore.
- Trusted me to complete.
- They even babysat so I could just breathe.
None of that had anything to do with the writing on their name badge.
My leaders haven’t always been positional. Some have been colleagues and peers. Some have been friends and some have been those to which I had no obvious connection. A leader is not a position. Sometimes those in positions of leadership are not the leaders I have needed.
So what is my definition then? I think it would have to be something like this:
A leader is someone who lifts others and helps them to do and be what they want to be whilst helping to see where they need to be.
As the school term reluctantly unfolds before you, ask yourself and reflect…
- What’s your definition of leadership?
- What sort of a leader are you? Yes, you are all leaders. You lead learning in your classroom, you lead a team, you lead a faculty, you lead a school, you lead a community, and you all lead in some way….
- What sort of a leader do you want to be?
- What sort of leader do you need?
- What sort of a leader do your colleagues need?
