Personal Leadership: How We Lead In Our Daily Lives

Whether in your personal or professional life, leadership is about leading by example.

When I was a second lieutenant in the Army going through my officer’s training course, I was stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia. There, in front of the U.S. Army Infantry Hall, is a large bronze statue of a soldier. In one hand he holds a rifle. His other arm is raised as if signaling to others behind him. His head looks back over his shoulder and on the base of the statue in large gold letters it reads; “FOLLOW ME”. When I think of leadership I often reflect back on this statue and the simple, but powerful message it conveys. Leaders lead from the front. They inspire others through their own actions motivating them to follow.

Good leaders all share common qualities. They tend to be inclusive and self aware. They are good listeners and remain calm amidst chaos. They are focused, persistent and determined to achieve their goals. But what ultimately makes someone a leader is their ability to set a vision, cope with change and most critically, inspire others to follow.

Professionally, it is the ability to inspire others that differentiates management from leadership. Good managers allocate and deploy resources; they organize and direct work. However, leaders inspire. They motivate others to look beyond their own limited perspective. They invite others to be a part of something bigger than them and excite them to pursue that shared vision.

For those of us who have been fortunate enough to work with a great leader, you have known that feeling: The desire to accomplish a goal; not because you were told to, but because you wanted to. You felt the passion of the leader, were excited to be a part of their vision and wanted to go where that person was heading.

In the workplace I look for people who are not only good at identifying and organizing work, but for those people who ‘walk the talk’. They not only diagnose and manage, but are willing to roll up their sleeves, jump into the trenches and show others how to get it done. They are smart, they are visionary, but most importantly they are doers; people of action. They are people who lead by example.

So when I think of leadership and how it impacts our daily lives, I think back to that statue. I am reminded that in all things, a leader must be out in front. They must motivate and inspire. But above all else, leaders, by definition, get others to follow!