Leadership is About Finding Joy

For some people, leadership is getting other people to do things for you. For others, leaders are people who accomplish goals. Some people see leaders as people out in front, leading the charge. Some people see leaders as conductors, orchestrating the performance of the people around them.

For some, the essential quality for a leader is being clear, articulating a vision and the steps to carry it forward. Others see that leaders need to be analytical, sorting out the complicated motivations and skills needed to succeed. Some people see leaders as essentially extroverted, others see them as primarily introverted.

I have, at one time or another, been each of these people.

Each of these skills and characteristics is important. Each can be very helpful to your leadership. The essential core of leadership, though, is much deeper than any one of these.

The leaders who inspire me bring out the best in the people around them. Leaders do not find and draw out what is best in people by manipulating or outsmarting them. We bring out the best in people by sharing who we are and giving them opportunities to discover their own true selves.

For me, exploring and discovering my deepest self has opened my mind to amazing possibilities. It has opened my eyes to the reasons I am who I am. It has opened my heart to honest joy.

Leadership is not about being happy all the time, or about smiling at everyone. Leadership is how we connect with each other, and ourselves, to practice our shared values.

I work with people to discover and share their deepest joy.

It is the joy that keeps us going.

Where have you found your joy?

How have you discovered the joy that brings out the best in you?

[Image by John Taylor]