It Takes a Community to Be a Leader

Leadership isn’t a solo endeavor.

If you go it alone:

You will not have anyone to support you in challenging times.

You will not have anyone to challenge you in troubling times.

You will not have meaningful conversations.

You will become stale in your ways.

You will become moldy in your ideas.

You will become paranoid.

You will become a jerk.

You will become insular.

If you embrace and interact with a community:

You will trust people.

You will be entrusted.

You will interact.

You will act.

You will listen.

You will be heard.

You will learn and grow.

You will serve.

You will be a better person.

You will be a better leader.

It takes a community to grow leaders.

Community is about interaction, accountability, listening, sharing, and doing. Community is about engaging people who have knowledge, experiences, insights, words to guide and offer, ears to listen and understand, and accept diversity as a way to strengthen.

Leadership is not always independence. It is always interdependence.

If you are not interdependent with a community, then you need to find one. If you are interdependent with a community, then you need to be open to invite others in. Leading is through example and there is no better example than how you lead in a community.

In Lead Change, we are expanding our community to another channel. In Google+, there are wonderful conversations and exchanges happening. This is an invitation to join the Lead Change social community and share, learn, and grow together. Each week, we will post a question of the week. Join in with your perspective.

Don’t make the Lead Change Google+ your only community though.

Get out into your neighborhoods and surrounding areas and start a monthly lunch, breakfast, or some small group. These conversations and relationships will make you a better leader as well as those who engage with you.

How are you building your community? How are you becoming a better leader through community?

Image from Veer with some rights and restrictions.