What Does Leadership In Action Look Like?
We talk a lot about the theory of leadership, but if you want to put the theory of leadership into practice consider that you need to know what to do. Tanveer Naseer wrote a great post exploring whether leadership is an art or a science. He asks us to consider that “what is leadership?” and suggests that this question ultimately gets answered through the eyes of the beholder.
In my post What is the Best Definition of Leadership, I unequivocally state the best definition “does not exist”. Definitions in my opinion are highly overrated. They rarely give us access to any insight potent enough to have us take a differentiating action from what we already know to do or are likely to do.
For example, if I tell you the definition of balance does that help you in any way to learn to ride a bicycle? Of course not. You have to do it. Through a process of trial and error you get it, seemingly in a moment. The best part is once you experience it balance is yours forever.
I think the same is true of leadership. We can talk about it in theory and get an intellectual understanding. We can watch people and make assessments about whether we think someone is being a leader or not, or about what their style of leadership is and whether we like it or not. Yet you won’t really know what leadership is for you until you do it. I’ll suggest if you want access to elevating your leadership you need to be clear about what leadership looks like in action so you can figure out how to “do” leadership.
What does leadership look like in action?
You speak up, step up and/or stand up for something or someone that matters to you, that you are committed to, that you want to make a difference in.
I call these the 3 fundamental acts of leadership. The only way to transform a possibility into a reality is one action at a time. I share my personal story and inspirations about leadership in action on Positivity Strategist Podcast.
Consider that these three fundamental actions: speaking up, stepping up, and standing up, are to leadership what balance is to riding a bicycle. We inherently know we need to learn how to do them if we want to make a difference, if we want to lead, yet until we muster the courage to give it a try we will never actually learn how.
And just like we get balance in an instant when you are learning to ride a bicycle, when you commit acts of leadership you will get what your personal power feels like in an instant. And once you experience your personal power you will have access to it in those moments when you need it most to muster the courage to speak up, step up and stand up for the things that matter for you and make a difference for others.
What act of leadership will you commit next so you can elevate your leadership and access your personal power to make the difference only you can make.