“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” John Quincy Adams
I meet so many leaders who steer clear of that L word. And I get it.
Calling yourself a leader means a whole bunch of responsibility is going to find its’ way to your doorstep – but it already has, hasn’t it?
And calling yourself a leader means that someone is following you. And you don’t want to put yourself before others (aka seem up yourself for my Aussie readers), do you – but there are already others following, aren’t there.
What if calling yourself a leader means I’m going to get hurt you may ask. – chances are your heart is already on fire, isn’t it.
But nobody gave me permission to call myself a leader you may think – look around, people are waiting for you to make your move.
Nobody said that leadership is convenient, nor that ever single leadership position will be won via a vote, ceremony or inherited role.
Sometimes leadership just finds you. And likely as not it will be at a time that’s not very convenient.
And in these times you have two choices.
Stand up – or walk away.
Simple as that.
What do you choose.
Kerry Grace provides insights, toolkits and ideas for accidental leaders. How can you tell if you’re an accidental leader? There are clues… You care about your community and regularly act to do SOMETHING / ANYTHING to make life better for the people around you. And when you put the call out, others follow. Chances are as an accidental leader you feel a bit ‘up yourself’ calling yourself a leader in the first place, but you know deep down that you have the guts and the grit to make things happen where others just fluff about.
Image credit: Photo by Jaime Lopes on Unsplash
