Leadership – How you show up

There are so many definitions of what people believe to be leadership, but more consistently you will find that most people believe that “Leadership” is an entity, a group of appointed individuals that have been put in place to provide direction to others.

Consider an alternate idea; leadership is the responsibility of each one of us. We are all responsible to lead, to positively impact every situation – don’t wait for someone else to step forward. We can all impact a situation regardless of our role – at work, at home and in life.

Leadership is a way of being, it is acting with integrity, maintaining a positive approach, being consistent in your words and actions, and it is following through with your commitments.  Leadership is a way of interacting with others; it is encouraging input from others and listening with an open and non-judgmental mind. It is being respectful of the perspective of others no matter their age, ethnic background, gender, or station in life. Leadership is sharing your knowledge and empowering others to be all they can be.

Being a great Leader means having a vision, believing in that vision, getting others to believe in the vision and creating an environment that fosters respect and teamwork to achieve that vision, together.

I have found through my career in the design and construction industry that successful projects are created by leaders at every level of the project.  The complexity of each and every component that wraps up to create the whole, relies on individuals to take the lead to meet schedules, coordinate information, ask questions and work collaboratively.

Launching a Leadership Revolution by Chris Brady and Orrin Woodward focuses on the three key elements of Leadership in each one of us; Character, Relationships and Tasks.  As we live each day, both in and out of the workplace think about these and how you can make a positive difference by staying true to your character, by honoring relationships and by taking responsibility for everyday tasks.

Make a personal decision to show up as a Leader every day for every situation.