A former colleague once told me she could not understand why anyone wanted leadership responsibility. It sounded frightening. She believed she had no leadership qualities and never would.
I asked whether she ever made decisions. Of course. Did she face uncertainty and have to handle it? Yes. Did she take initiative to get something done? Often. Did she care for others, trust them and allow them to trust her? Again, yes.
These are useful leadership capabilities, and all of us possess them to some degree.
Leadership exists at different levels. You may have a formal title and defined responsibility. You may lead informally in particular situations. And you need to lead yourself.
Self-leadership is still leadership
When managing yourself, you make many of the same kinds of choices as a formal leader. The immediate effects primarily concern you, although your decisions can also affect others.
Leading other people adds responsibilities: communicating, inspiring, helping and supporting them. That is part of both formal and informal leadership.
These skills can be learned and practised. Development takes experience, reflection and time. Trying, making mistakes and learning are part of becoming more capable. Nobody is fully prepared on day one, and nobody finishes learning.
We are all leaders in this broader sense, including my former colleague.
Which leadership capability do you already use well? If you had to choose one, what would it be?
English editorial adaptation of the Norwegian original.
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