The LEADer of the pack!
Who doesn't love a scene with penguins racing to their next adventure? I sure do. I love the passions and the excitement that pictures such as the one above that highlight the thrill of adventure that the penguins lead.
What does thrill and adventure look like for you?
I am sure we may have differing viewpoints of adventure. There is nothing wrong with this. Quite the contrary. Differing viewpoints help us discover who we truly are and what makes us unique. Does jumping into the water excite you? Does the race to the water breathe adventure in your lungs? Or does the thought that sparked the race towards the race to jump into the water bring you joy?
How do you LEAD?
Wow! I bet you are thinking this right now. How did a simple picture of penguins racing into the water create such reflection? I know, right?! Well, the reality is that there is a part of a process that is part of this collective journey to reach the finish line. BUT, and yes, there is always a but involved. IS the jumping into the water the "finish line" to this story? No, it is not. It is part of the journey. What COULD be next is that the penguins are now in search of food. They may also be fleeing a predator. We don't know this.
A picture captures a moment.
A picture, or a snapshot, gives us a moment in time where we are able to see how we are doing. What the picture does not always tell us is what is happening immediately before or after the picture. Sure, you can take a rapid photo and secure a collection of a particular event. BUT, this picture does not instill what has happened or what WILL happen after the fact. That is where YOU come in.
YOU are a leader!
Yes, this is true. YOU are a leader. YOU are a leader of your own destiny. YOU can make decisions on HOW or WHAT will happen next. YOU get to decide how YOU will react. The best part is that YOU are not alone.
Take for example the picture again. Who is the leader in the penguin picture? Is it clear who the leader is amongst the crowd. I am sure some of you may suggest it is the first person. Ready to jump into the water. There are others that may suggest that there is a group of leaders in the photo by how the crowd is grouping towards them to protect the leader.
WHAT IF the leader isn't even present in the photo?!
Sometimes the leader isn't even featured or, wait for it, does NOT want to OR need to be included in the photo. These are your silent leaders. They are the ones that ignite the spark in us that encourage us to be something more than what we are. The LEADer is also someone who is there for when we need them. Perhaps in this photo, there is a LEAD behind the scenes supporting another penguin in getting to the water? What if there is someone who is scared of the water and needs a helping hand? OR, someone who needs that support to learn HOW to swim in the first place? It is so important to remind ourselves that a leader doesn't always need to LEAD the pack. Quite the contrary, there are little pieces of evidence that show us that a LEAD can be anyone.
LEADers aren't always Managers and Managers aren't always LEADers.
What an excellent statement, right?! I am sure there are many of you that can relate to this statement. How many times have you looked at your manager and questioned if they are truly a leader? They may have this position because they said the right things to the right people. A leader, on the other hand, is someone that others see as a natural leader. They may not hold the title of leader, or even see it in themselves BUT others sure do. Other people are willing to acknowledge who this leader is and how they can support them in their quest.
So does it matter what your title is? No, it doesn't.
A LEADer can be anyone. How are you a LEADer? What do you do differently as a LEADer to LEAD your group? I would love to hear about your reflections and how you LEAD differently via my discussion forum at DrewFockler.com
-Dr. Drew's Daily Digest