Heretical Leadership

Leadership

April 23, 2012
Mike Henry
Operations and IT Consultant

Topics

heretic, heretical leadership, make a difference, Seth Godin, stand out, take a stand, Tribes

Fitting In

Our world encourages us to fit in.  Sure there are many on the Internet and in popular media who seem to suggest that we should stand out.  Seth Godin is one of many that have embraced the individualistic appeal of the Internet age (or the Individual Age) and encouraged people to stand out and make a difference.  A number of great books and great writers have proposed that we buck the trends of the last 100 years and begin to organize, lead and inspire differently.

But the infrastructure still encourages us to fit in.  An example I can use has to do with my experience as I’ve connected with others thorough The Lead Change Group.  I’m often asked to either market to, or make decisions for, the people who read our blog or who participate in the group.  That’s what we do.  We get a bunch of followers and then we sell them something, right?  I should be marketing to you, selling ads on the website or promoting other programs for a share of the profit, etc.   Most every month someone asks me to promote something they’re doing.

Standing out

Over 3 years ago, I ventured into leadership development and business for myself to understand what it was that I really wanted to do.  I now know that if you’re motivated to make a difference, I’m motivated to help you, but I’m not motivated to be the labor for your effort.  The Lead Change Group is not the labor for your effort either.  You’re the labor for your effort.

Lead Change Group is a gathering place. Some come here to find ideas.  Others come with their idea in some stage of development.  Can you get help here? Certainly! Members do business with each other, collaborate on projects and purchase services from one another all the time.

But it starts by being about something.  Whether you're here with an idea or you're looking for one, you must act.  No one will do it for you.  Choose an idea and join.  Try something.  Doing nothing is failure if you do nothing long enough.  Choose to screw up in gear.  Make your mistakes by doing something.

Heretics

No one needs a leader to lead same.  This is a community of heretics, leading change; and changing leadership.  We believe we each individually can inspire character-based leadership and make a positive difference in ourselves, in others, and in our communities. Character-based leadership is each of us leading from who we are and not our power or position.

So, if your “thing” is changing the leadership world, join us! If your competition is bad leadership, then by all means, share your ideas and invite people to join you as you make a difference in the world.  Please.  Like one of Seth Godin’s other books, Tribes says, we need you to lead us.  We need you to stand up and stand out and make a difference… because you can.

Share your ideas about the ways that you think the world needs to be changed in the context of character-based leadership.   You can write for Lead Change, or share your blog posts in our Activity Stream, or in our LinkedIn group or our Facebook page.

Your difference, your impact, will be what you make it.  Let others compromise and settle.  Like another of Godin’s famous quotes, “In a battle between two ideas, the idea that wins is the one with the most fearless heretic behind it.”  Will your idea win?  Are you a fearless heretic?

Photo © Andrey Bandurenko - Fotolia.com

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