You have the capacity to be a great leader. Do you believe that?
I’m not saying that you will necessarily lead a revolution like Martin Luther King, Jr. or Nelson Mandela or Mahatma Ghandi. What I am saying is that you have the capacity to influence the people around you in a big way.
John C. Maxwell famously teaches that “the true measure of leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less.” You influence people each day – family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, etc. You even influence yourself and self-leadership is the toughest form of leadership!
Listen to what Alan Hirsch writes in his book The Forgotten Ways – “To be a great leader in this sense is to inspire, evoke, and nurture something correspondingly great in those who follow. Through an integrated life, great leaders remind their followers of what they can become if they too base their lives on a compassionate notion of humanity framed by a higher moral vision of the world in which we live.”
The reason you can become a great leader is because you have the ability to inspire, evoke, nurture and remind people of what they can become. You can point out the strengths you see in them. You can encourage them to use their talents. You can push them to develop their abilities. You can give them HOPE by speaking words of affirmation and encouragement to them.
Think about it…how often do people speak encouraging words to you about your strengths and talents? If you’re like most people, it’s not often. In fact, most of us take these things for granted in the people we’re closest to.
If you want to become a great leader – and I hope you do – start paying attention to the people around you and help them see the value they contribute to the world. Encourage and challenge them to step into their gifts and grow to the next level. Be a messenger of hope by pointing out what is often overlooked.
Be Intentionally Great today!
