Harvey S. Firestone once said, "The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership."
I invite you all to come and ponder with me for a moment on what ‘Leadership’ truly means. Does it mean I lead my fellow teammates? Does it mean I am their leader? When you assume responsibility for leadership, you promise to help them when they are in a state of need. You promise to walk before them, not because you are their ‘Leader’ but because you eliminate obstacles, making a smooth and easy path for them to walk through. I firmly and strongly believe that all of us in a team doing anything from the most to the least or from the best to the worst are all equal. I hold the belief that a leader's job is to help all teammates improve, to make the not so good the best and the one who is the best even better.
Leadership is an often sought role, everyone wants to assume leadership, but the intentions of only a few are in the right place. Others tend to misuse their power to intimidate the rest. The job of someone with responsibility is to spike interest and newfound determination in their teammates, motivating them to do better than invalidate them and force them to do something.
There are a plethora of qualities that one needs to become a true leader, but I think that one of the most important traits that all leaders must possess is a passion to develop and maximize the potential of others. When you transform people individually, you begin to transform your team or organisation as a whole.
So you may ask me as to what I would define leadership to be? I would define leadership to be much more than authority and recognition from the outside world. Leadership is about developing people and helping others reach their full potential. It’s about equipping others with the right tools and strategies not only to maximize the success of an organisation but also the lives of individuals. Leadership is about
breaking down barriers and leading others through the uncertainty of the future.
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