Your Path to Leadership

Putting together Your Path to Leadership has forced me to become more articulate about defining personal leadership and communicating about it to others. Part of the challenge is that we all hold very specific notions about what leadership is and who leaders are – and generally we claim, ‘not me!’

Recently, I lost a dear friend who was a ‘leading light’ in my community. He led in every way that was important. He led with his heart. Despite being a career RCMP and seeing much of the worst in this world on a daily basis, he never became cynical. His business was hope. Hope for a better community, more opportunities for youth, and greater partnerships between interests.

He stood in his personal brand of leadership and let it guide his choices and decisions. And those of us who liked where he stood, followed. We followed by sharing his enthusiasm for doing the right or needed thing, by collaborating on projects to improve local circumstances and by stepping into our own leadership space and taking on ideas.

He exemplified a definition of leadership not as a title, a position, or a designation (although it can be) but leadership as a stance. This means looking at leadership from the perspective of doing whatever it is you can do from whatever position you are in, whether or not anybody follows. Doing what is in your heart for yourself, your family or your community. It’s a powerful position to take and to act from.

At the end of his life my friend claimed contentment and few regrets. His was a life well-lived. He stood on his own ground and took action.

How about you? Where do you stand?

-Vicki