Leadership is a State of Mind

We’ve all known different leaders throughout our lives. But if we think back on the leaders we’ve known that we felt were truly effective or great leaders, it wasn’t about the person’s position, title or status. Leadership is more than that.

Leadership is a state of mind. It’s about one’s approach to work and the task at hand. Leadership is having the focus and the vision to be aspirational. Leaders have the ability to work with, inspire, and mobilize others to accomplish goals or achieve results. Leaders have the ability to see possibilities in different situations and bring out the best in others. Because leadership isn’t about being the best, it’s about making others around you better.

As Maya Angelou said, “A leader sees greatness in other people. He nor she can be much of a leader if all she sees is herself.”

People in all types of positions and in all kinds of organizations may have leadership strengths. And leadership is an active and dynamic state. Leaders know that small actions can have a big impact so leaders take action and work toward improvement. Leaders welcome opportunities to create or respond to new possibilities. Leaders are always moving towards growth change, and new directions.

And although some leaders may have more innate leadership qualities or abilities leadership skills and knowledge can be learned.

It’s about having a leadership state of mind to continuously learn, challenge the status quo, hold out new vision, and seek opportunities to take action to work towards what could be.

Leadership is:

• The ability to foster relationships grounded in respect, trust, honesty, and confidence

• The ability through words and actions to demonstrate what is possible

• The dedication to inspire and build a shared vision

• The integrity to uphold the greater goal and maintain true to the higher cause

• The humility and grace to empower others and facilitate other’s best work

Think about your own strengths and your own leadership state of mind. Think of your abilities to foster relationships and work towards a shared vision. Or consider your strengths at facilitating other’s best work of considering new ways of doing things. There are so many ways to bring your leadership skills to your different roles in work and life.

For more on this topic see Fiona's book Building Together: Collaborative Leadership in Early Childhood Systems available from Redleaf Press or on amazon.com.