Here’s my email from 1/21/13 to leaders in Reno County:
Today, I wanted to begin a few weeks of reminding you of the 5 leadership principles from the KLC found in their QuickStart Guide.
1) Leadership is an activity, not a position.
It took me a while to wrap my mind around this one, because many of us are taught that it’s about the position or that the one with the position determines the direction and other thoughts like this. But, when we stop and think about this we know this to be true. The best leaders aren’t necessarily those who run at the front of the pack. They are the ones who are performing acts of leadership, not merely wearing a title. This can be quite convicting for some of us who have titles of leadership. We may have the position and the reality is that we may or may not be the best leaders IN our position. And, it can be encouraging to those who may feel squished by a system where they don’t have the position. Leadership is about acts of leadership being lived out, not merely having a title.
Wherever you find yourself today, look at your life. Think about your functioning as a leader. Is it your acts of leadership that make a difference or merely the authority you exert? There is a huge difference between authority and leadership. They can go together, but don’t blur the lines and make no mistake…leaders act. So today, remember, leadership is about activity, not merely position.
Hope you have a great Monday and week.