On Leaders and Leadership

By [ellis]

Each of us is a leader. Each of us is a follower.

Some days we lead only ourselves. Perhaps it is as simple as bathing, eating, and completing a two-item todo list. Even so, we must lead ourselves to take each of these actions. On very low energy days when the sofa has its claws in us, we assess, commit to, and manage at least the bare minimum activity the day requires. Even such simple things do not happen on their own.

Some days we lead, unwittingly, only by example. We may lead others to greater or lesser productivity, to more or less admirable behavior. Both ideal and less than ideal outcomes are deeply influenced by leadership.

Some days we lead a team, small or large, in work or in play. On these days, aware that others are looking to us, in some way dependent upon us, we may carry ourselves differently. We embody certain qualities that identify us as potentially up to the task of leadership, qualities that inspire the trust and hope of team members.

Some days we lead large groups of people or organizations which requires an additional level of skill. We still lead by example but also by vision and decision-making and steadiness and delegation.

In our role as leaders we instinctively know that certain qualities and characteristics are necessary. Such as:

Though leadership requires great work, it also comes naturally. Leadership utilizes and tests our very humanness. The skills are innate but their application is fraught with challenge and in the moment our skills are tested, whether on the battlefield or in the mirror, we know, instinctively and without doubt, whether we have risen or fallen.

Knowing what we each know of leadership, why do we follow those who repeatedly fail to exhibit those most basic, most human qualities of leaders?

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