Leadership isn’t what you think it is
Leadership isn't a role; it’s a mindset that exists at all levels
Introduction
I was having a Compatibility Conversation the other day, when I was asked something along the lines of “How come you are interested in leadership and leadership coaching when you’re not a leader?”
This question caught me off guard.
I wasn’t offended, just curious about different people's definitions of being a leader.
For context, outside of being a Leadership Coach, I work as a Project Manager of a large cross-functional project and have previously managed engineering teams of between 10-20 people.
This question stuck with me and got me thinking about leadership and what it really means.
Misconceptions of Leadership
Early in my career as an Engineer, I had strong aspirations to be a leader.
To me, this looked like becoming a manager with direct line reports and eventually becoming a General Manager or Director with line reports who had line reports.
I had mistakenly conflated being a manager with being a leader.
Later in my career, when I stepped into management positions with line reports, I didn’t always feel like I was a leader.
Approving annual leave, doing Return to Work interviews and holding weekly team meetings about metrics just didn’t make me feel like I was a leader.
The things that did make me feel like a leader were:
Helping my team members to create plans for their long-term development.
Having regular 1-2-1’s with them, asking how their family is and how they are doing.
Supporting my team when they were sick or off for long periods.
Advocating for team members to get well-earned promotions.
Another thing that I noticed whilst being in a management role was that I was less focused on my needs and professional development.
My focus shifted to my team and helping them succeed where I could.
Thinking about my own career and development began to feel somewhat selfish.
This is also the case with having children, which, coincidentally, I first experienced at roughly the same time as becoming a manager.
Your focus and attention shift to them, and you begin to deprioritise your needs and growth.
Whilst some of these are specific to those in people management positions, there is a recurring theme that most people can demonstrate.
The theme is one of caring and supporting others.
It’s having a vested interest in their growth and success.
It’s putting someone elses needs above your own.
Leadership at all Levels
I believe that leadership can be shown in almost all job roles and aspects of life.
This includes:
The parent who regulates their emotions to de-escalate a stressful situation with a very upset toddler.
The partner who consciously chooses to plan (meals, date nights, holidays).
The sibling who sets a good example for their younger brother or sister.
The friend who always asks you questions and ensures there aren’t any awkward silences.
The business owner who goes out her way to ensure her clients have the best experience possible.
I could list many more examples, but hopefully, you get the point I am trying to make.
Leadership doesn’t need to be a formal skill taught via training.
Leadership isn’t just reserved for leading armies into battle.
And leadership isn’t something automatically given to you with a job role.
It’s about putting others' needs above your own and genuinely caring about their growth.
Final Thoughts
Don't wait to be promoted to a management position or to attend that 2-day leadership course before you begin to consider yourself a leader.
Leadership shows up in how you act each day and how you treat the people around you.
If you want to take your leadership or business to the next level, I am here to help.
As a trained Leadership Coach, I work with clients at all levels of leadership, from new Managers to Directors to Founders and Business Owners.
Book your free Introduction Call today and we can discuss how I can help you achieve your goals.
