Summary
Freedom of growth doesn’t increase the chances that people will leave. It significantly increases the chances they’ll stay.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about the leader inside all of us. Occasionally, people tell me that they “aren’t leader material.” Sometimes this idea comes from false humility. Sometimes it is an expression of the residual trauma of working for a poor leader. And sometimes it’s simply a failure to recognize the ways in which that person is already leading.
I’ve found that when you dig deep and look objectively, most of us are already functioning as a leader in some respect. If you’d like proof, see how many of the 23 questions below you can answer.
I urge you not to rush this exercise. Set aside a few minutes and find a quiet place where you can ponder each question.
When did you give encouragement to someone who needed it?
When did you do the right thing even though others disagreed?
When did you act even though you were scared?
When did you keep your word even if it was difficult?
When did you speak an uncomfortable truth with kindness?
When did you rally a group of people around a big idea?
When did you listen to someone without letting your own stories interfere?
When did you teach someone a skill?
When did you see someone else’s potential before they did?
When have you defended someone who couldn’t defend themselves?
When did you sacrifice for the greater good?
When did you create a winning strategy to achieve a difficult goal?
When did you consider 2nd and 3rd order consequences (the downstream ramifications of a strategy or action)?
When did you notice your ego trying to influence how you show up?
When did you set a goal and work towards it?
When did you clearly see risk and create a mitigation strategy?
When did you do your best to see the objective truth?
When did you change for the better?
When did you recognize one of your own blind spots?
When did you diffuse an emotional conflict?
When did you thoughtfully disagree with someone?
When did you truly listen to someone who thoughtfully disagreed with you?
When did you hold yourself accountable?
How many times were you able to provide a specific answer? In my experience, virtually everyone can provide a concrete answer to at least several of these questions. And each of those answers is an echo of leadership.
Leadership lives beyond titles, formal roles, and sometimes even beyond our own awareness of the impact we are making on others.
BONUS TIP: If you want to develop other people’s leadership potential, work through this exercise with them. I’d be willing to bet that you will discover leadership skills that were previously hidden.
