Anyone Can Be a Leader

What kind of person first comes to mind when you think of a leader? Most tend to think of someone with power, hierarchy or a high-ranking title. But anyone can be a leader; no matter what position or job title they hold.

Our summer interns explored this lesson during a summer leadership session with our executive coach, Shani Magosky.  We learned that leadership is demonstrated simply when someone inspires and influences his or her team toward a common goal through ambition, inspiration and attitude. Just because we’re interns, doesn’t mean we can’t be leaders.

Here are five simple lessons from Shani:

1. Don’t be a sheep. Be yourself and take a step out from the crowd by being different or creative. People are attracted to authenticity and will naturally follow one who inspires his or her team toward the achievement of a common goal.

2. We are all responsible. Playing the blame game isn’t productive. Instead, being accountable for your actions will in return gain you respect from those who follow. Mistakes are part of human nature, and if you can admit your mistakes and learn from them, others tend to follow voluntarily.

3. There is no difference between fear and excitement. When the human body experiences fear or excitement, the same chemical is released in the brain. The difference is how one reacts to the situation. We may not be able to control situations around us, but we can control how we react to situations, and in turn demonstrate that you are worthy of being followed.

4. Fail forward. The most famous leaders in the world, including Oprah Winfrey, Walt Disney and Albert Einstein have all failed at some point in their lives. Instead of quitting or feeling discouraged, these leaders learned from their mistakes and used the opportunity as a lesson to grow and improve. Failure is not the end of the world, but a step in the process of becoming successful.

5. Accept feedback. The fastest way to improve performance is through receiving feedback from peers so you can figure out what is and isn’t working. By stepping into someone else’s shoes, you can discover problems or other viewpoints that you wouldn’t have seen from your position.

These lessons not only apply to aspiring leaders, but established leaders as well. There is always room for improvement. If you are seen as someone who works to attain increasingly higher goals, others will be impressed and more willing to mirror that behavior. It’s a win-win for everyone.

– Ashley Wertz contributed this blog post.