Leading Every Day

Leadership opportunities are everywhere. And by everywhere, I mean everywhere. Why? Because leadership is a choice, a personal choice, a way of being, an energetic choice.

I feel you reacting over there.

Some are saying, “Bring it! I’m ready!” And I feel a whole bunch of you thinking, “Maybe that’s true, Karyn, but I’m not questing leadership.” Or maybe it’s the environment that feels limiting: “Whether I want to be in leadership or not, it certainly won’t be here; there’s no path.”

I’m holding fast to my initial statement – leadership opportunities are everywhere. Because you lead you. Every day. All day. You are already a leader. You have always been. And, it is your choice what that looks like.

Let’s give this idea a spin:

Alarm goes off. Eyes pop open. First leadership moment of the day. What’s it gonna be? How are you going to be? Feet hit the floor. Time to choose the lenses you’ll use to start the day. Grab a pink pair and the world will look rosy. Grab a grey pair, not so much.

The difference in lenses might mean the difference between beginning like this:

     Ugh…alarm snooze…this day is already the worst. Can I hide here under the covers?

Or this:

     Up you go. You got this. You will make it work; today will be fine.

Or wonderfully this:

     Today is full of possibility, and I’m excited to embrace the ups and the downs – the whole of it.

Whichever lens you favor, your day awaits. You will live this day. The glasses you wear while you live it – well, that choice is 100% up to you. You will lead you.

Moving beyond your energetic presentation, time to be clear on your leadership intention. What does great leadership even look like to you? Who do you want to be as a leader – in your role? In your company? In your family? In your life? There is one way to be sure you won’t be the leader you want to be – by not knowing what leadership means to you, not knowing where you are even aiming.

If you aren’t sure, here’s an activity to help you get clarity:

1. Make a list of your ideals of leadership. If you were describing the best leader you can imagine, what would be included? Great listening skills? Courage? Authenticity? Let your mind wander to all those you hold in high esteem and ask yourself “why?”
2. Audit the list and ask yourself how you are doing on each item – giving yourself a score of 1 – 10 for each one. How are you living these leadership ideals? While you’re at it, take some time to define each one.
3. And then identify where there is a gap between what you believe is important and how you are showing up today? Which gaps do you feel pulled to address? And how do you want to begin doing so?

The changes you make will ripple around you, flowing throughout your life – and influencing others.

No need to wait for someone else to anoint you a leader. And time to stop ignoring the fact that you already are a leader.

Be the leader you seek in this world – every day – for you and, in so doing, for others.