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Jun 08

Leadership: What "IT" is.

Published in Untagged  by Stacey Lane

 

If you're anything like me, you find that many nights are interrupted with annoying questions running through your mind such as, "Why is it that we've figured out how to send a man to the moon but we still aren't sure where a cat's purr originates?"  Well, tonight,  I was awake trying to figure out "What is it that makes a great Leader?".  If I didn't write this blog entry, I'm positive I'd be up all night considering every possible response to the inquery.   

I started creating attributes of it but I needed a segway, so I started with human examples of "great Leaders" to figure out what it is that makes them great.  Winston Churchill was considered a great political leader, Billy Graham was considered a great spiritual leader, Michael Jordan is considered a great sports leader, and Warren Buffett is considered a great business leader.   

Do you ever feel inadequate or deflated when you set a lofty leadership goal or even consider trying to measure up to 1/100th of the accomplishments of these individuals, convincing yourself you were intentionally overlooked or coincidentally deficient when God was passing out or Mitosis was dividing up "Leadership" genes?   It's because you didn't realize that you have it in you already, just like these men and millions of other worldly recognized Leaders have.   

I'll break it down:  Being a great Leader is not achieved by making the most money, managing the largest company, or being the highest scoring player on the team.  Being a great leader isn't achieved by commanding the most authority or having the best personality.  These things are merely labels.   

Every individual on this earth is called to be a great Leader.   Who you "are" (your character) is the best definition of a great Leader I can arrive that.  Character is the "it" in a truly great Leader.  We should nurture and protect our character:  it is our beliefs, it is our  potential, it is our maturity, it is our wisdom, it is our integrity, it is our ability, it is our actions, it is our language,  it is our teachings, it is our  knowledge, it is our attitude.   

Your character has a voice and it is the loudest voice you hear.  Your character has a face and it is how others perceive you.   Your character is in your hands.  It is the essence of Leadership and the root of much joy and success.