What does leadership mean to me?
Leaders aren’t born, they are made, and it’s the circumstances surrounding them that make them.
In any natural situation, even historically, some will fret, and others will scamper away. Some will hesitate, and others who wait.
And then, some will stand in regardless to take charge because the situation calls for it. I am one of those. It’s not just who can lead, but who will lead?
My Definition of Leadership
What does leadership mean to me?
Leadership, to me, means standing out when the rest are standing in. Again, not in bad taste, but rather, it’s all about will.
“Who will carry us through this? Who is brave enough to solve this? It’s already terrible right now, but who is resilient to see us through?” These are some of the questions I ask myself when a situation arises.
Through this ideology, it’s not surprising (at least to me) that I’ve taken countless leadership roles since I could remember. Whether it be from a Physics group assignment in a high school class, conducting the choir, or leading many colleges on the West Coast- I’ve done it all.
Of course, I’ll admit, there were other times when I was a leader just for the title and pride rather than the responsibility itself, and those times didn’t end well for me. So while I have a variety of experiences to accompany this notion, my one-liner advice for anyone taking this route would be not to be a leader on resume, but one of responsibility- else, it won’t end pretty.
My Principles of Leadership
My leadership principles (how I view leadership) rotate around initiative, learning, responsibility, accountability, empathy, teamwork, and excellence.
Initiative - Leadership starts from here when one is willing to take the initial step to lead and take responsibility. This part sets the basis for "who is who," thus getting to know stakeholders first.
Learning - Learning is a part of almost everything in life, and with leadership, it's no different. We all start somewhere, so even when starting the job, we're still learning that way. As we progress, we're either learning how we can improve ourselves or even understanding how our acts are impacting others. There is no learning shortage in leadership.
Responsibility - After learning comes responsibility. Here, one specifically knows their stake and roles when performing a particular task. It gets serious from here.
Accountability - Owning to one's tasks and their fair share of responsibility and following through with it until completion.
Empathy - When a leader empathizes with their subjects, they can imagine and take into perspective the person's situation and capability towards the matter at hand. With this outlook, a leader can make a more befitting decision that caters to their subject while still remaining on track to the goal.
Teamwork - No man is an island. Similarly, if you want to travel fast, travel alone, but if you want to travel far, travel with others. Teamwork is essential in a leadership setting because it is a pivotal basis of leadership. In other words, if you can't lead anyone other than yourself towards a common goal, then is that leadership?
Excellence - As long as one tries their best to achieve a task, then there is a lot to celebrate. In most cases, the results are satisfactory. Nonetheless, if the reverse happened, the fact that one had the heart to still attempt it is worth applauding.
Evolution Over Time
My leadership theory has drastically changed from what it was like 4-5 years ago.
Back in high school, I thought leadership entailed having a fancy position or title to accompany my name. It gave me a relatively high seat to watch my subjects below but not look down on them. Leadership had a rather prestigious connotation, which would sway one egotistically if not tended to well.
Don’t get me wrong, though; I’m not implying that it changed my personality- it never did. I was still the happy, helpful, and young chap then as I still am right now. :) In fact- and not to toot my own horn- most of my friends and people addressed me as probably the humblest leader of the cohort then.
Now that I think about it, the virtue stands true, not only in leadership but also in any form of success in life. A mantra I live by is, “the higher you go, the humbler you have to become.”
First forward a couple of years later, the meaning of leadership has consciously evolved. I’ve used leadership to emanate my voice and take the initiative when others couldn’t. Of course, sometimes I still got into leadership positions for the wrong reasons, but then my self-awareness came in; it consciously helped me figure out the possible-end product of what I would venture and whether or not it was worth it. Ever since I viewed my decisions from that lens, I’ve saved myself from a myriad of possible stress-inducing situations “just because I wanted to be a leader on resume.”
Today, my leadership style is more mature and purpose-driven. It’s one with a mission, vision, passion, free flow, and accountability. Like my old self, I’ve added doses of humility, vulnerability, and relatability to it such that I don’t lose sight of who are most important to me- my subjects. From my past burnout experiences, my current leadership style allows me to know my limits and capabilities and not bite off more than I can chew. Finally, I strive not only to lead my team to infinite success but also pray not to be too indispensable- I want to leave a legacy in the next cohort of leaders, teach them everything I know, and pray that they become far much better than I could ever be.
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