“What lies behind us and what
lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Leadership is about answering the call of Spirit to accomplish extraordinary things for, with, and through people. There are an abundance of tools, techniques, approaches and models out there on how to lead. But the essence of leadership is not in the domain of the intellect – it is in the heart.
We follow people not because of what they do, but because of who they are.
Even “proven methods” for leadership fall flat unless they are employed by an individual who is strongly connected to the animating force within them that gives form to the unique contribution of style, talents and passions they were born with.
The first test of a leader is to distinguish that which is hollow from that which has substance, that which is true from that which is false, and that which is real from that which is illusory. Extraordinary leaders endeavor to liberate something deep inside them which contains everything they need to bring to fruition their dreams and visions of bettering their organizations and the world around them.
To lead others, these leaders must first learn to lead themselves. Anything less would render the leader hollow, wooden and stiff. Attempts at imitation fall short. Leadership requires more than the latest techniques, a Harvard education, and even years of experience.
To truly lead, one must accept the ultimate odyssey and challenge – that of becoming REAL.
Stay tuned for more in The Spirit of a Leader: Part II.
Unleash the Extraordinary!
Diane Bolden
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