What does it mean to be a Leader? Take a minute, and establish for yourself how you define this. Now, what does it mean to be a leader? See the difference? I didn’t think so.
A Leader is the title position: the President, the CEO, the editor, the head woman in charge. It’s the word we most associate with authority and an individual’s ability to tell everyone else what to do and how to do it. These kinds of Leaders are not hard to identify seeing as they are the few individuals who have the ability to take charge of a crowd—whether it’s in something as small as a school organization, or as large as an entire country.
As for the rest of us? Are we forever destined to be mere passive followers?
There is a TED Talk titled, “Everyday leadership,” in which the speaker, Drew Dudley, claims otherwise. He points out that leadership goes beyond significant title labels and expertise. The real leadership lies in how we conduct ourselves in an everyday manner. In other words, it’s the little things that really count. A leaders can easily be the quiet girl in the back of the classroom who makes an effort to always hold doors open, or the person across the hall who goes out of their way to get to know the dining hall staff. It is these small moments that can make the incredible difference in a person’s day, affecting someone else far beyond what can be seen by the masses.
In his talk, Drew Dudley experienced this own form of leadership personally in what he called a “lollipop moment.” Obviously for such a name to make sense it would require you watching the video, but what his moment came down to was one individual letting him know how a small action he did, (so insignificant in fact, that he did not even remember doing it) changed this person’s entire life. He never would have known his impact as a leader had he not been told.
Chances are, if you do not consider yourself to be a leader, it is only because you have never been told. BC is a campus packed with competitive and worthy individuals for title positions, and while these are certainly important to achieve, they are not the end-all be-all of making an impact. Be the everyday leader who takes small steps for everyday change.
Think of a moment where an individual changed everything for you. Find them, thank them, and acknowledge their leadership. You can only hope that someday, someone will return the favor.
Video: http://www.ted.com/talks/drew_dudley_everyday_leadership
Photo Sources:
http://www.ted.com/talks/drew_dudley_everyday_leadership
http://make-me-successful.com/follower-to-leader/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20140604132223-1853953-100-greatest-quotes-on-leadership