We are all leaders! The actual title you have is not as important as understanding your impact on others you interact with. There are people in this world with the ‘title’ that implies they are the leader, but they don’t ‘move the crowd’.
Leading from the front can be done by everyone.
I continue to highlight the key to effective leadership is self-awareness. Self-awareness is needed in order to lead from the front in your daily activities. The self-aware leader understands strengths and weaknesses, have a fully developed self-view and demonstrate they understand how their interactions impact others (direct reports, clients, colleagues, etc.).
Things a leader can/should do:
- Inspire people
- Empower people
- Lead change
- Share a vision
So, if you can inspire people, empower people, lead change and share a vision, you are a leader. Again, you don’t need a specific title to be viewed as a leader. Don’t give away your influence because a specific title is not attached to you.
We can all lead! Look around your current work environment. Who do you inspire daily? How do you inspire these people? Your level of self-awareness within the work environment creates empowerment.
Do you need anyone’s permission to inspire your students, clients, colleagues or direct reports? I don’t think so. Now you need to identify/understand how you inspire others. Are your actions positive and consistent? Do you create an environment conducive for communicating new ideas?
I believe empowered leaders initiate, act, and adjust within the work environment. These things are available to all of us. I promote to direct reports, ‘Mistakes happen, just don’t make the same mistake twice’. Use situations like this to create an environment where your people can learn and grow.
Leveraging your ‘Why’ can also impact how you lead from the front. Identify why you show up every day and then ensure your leadership decisions are made to positively impact your ‘Why’. Simple enough, huh? It can be!
How do you lead from the front daily? What adjustment are needed to ensure you lead from the front in your work environment? Thanks!
Walk Into the Future 