Many recent studies are showing a trend where people are turning down positions of leadership due to the lack of support, increased pressure to perform, and lack of trust that many in positions of leadership have abused. Yet good leadership is one of the critical foundations all organizations need.

“Everyone’s a leader and we’re leading all the time.” This quote from Chris Lowney’s book, Heroic Leadership, is powerful as it cuts through roles and titles and requires something of us to personally embrace and develop.

Lowney argues we’re always leading something and the sooner we embrace this truth, the better off we’ll be, as well as the societal structures around us. Your actions, responses, and choice of language all carry influence. When framing leadership within a personal context, it doesn’t matter if you’re the CEO of a large organization or just entering the workforce; you carry more influence and significance than you realize. This influence can positively impact both yourself and the people you interact with every day.

Ask yourself these two questions:

What actions can I own that will help another person be successful?
What can I intentionally and sincerely say to someone that will make them feel appreciated and valued?

Then you could ask yourself, “If I acted on these questions every day, how will this positively impact my environment? You may not notice it immediately, but over time, you will see the seeds of influence begin to grow.

If you would like to learn more about how you can develop your leadership skills, or those of your team, I’d be more than happy to speak with you.