What Does Leadership Look Like?
When most people think about leadership, they think about a soldier leading men into battle, or a CEO leading a board room, or maybe a coach of a football team. What if we started looking at the more subtle, less obvious leaders that we encounter daily?
My boys are all grown men now. Young men but grown just the same. A few years ago, I realized the pointy-finger-yelling-because-i-told-you-to style wasn’t getting a response anymore. I shifted tactics a bit, began to focus inward rather than outward, and learned how to really set the example for them. At first, they didn’t say anything. Even if they saw the change they didn’t bring attention to it at all. A couple of years went by, and my wife finally acknowledged the journey I had been on. After another year, she started her own journey of self-improvement and inspiration.
Be the Example
Together, my wife and I just finished the 75 Hard Program design by Andy Frisella. My wife was apprehensive at first but found her motivation in doubters and set out to prove them wrong. Boy did she! By the completion of the 75 days, we both had lost weight, increased our level of fitness dramatically, walked taller and more confidently, and knew without doubt that we were capable of anything.
A few days later, one of our boys called and said he wanted to do the program. He finally had the realization that he was stuck in a rut and needed to move his life forward. Kudos to him for having the humility to admit his situation. We talked it out and he decided to get on a program, with my wife and I helping, and he has set goals with plans to meet them.
Be the One
Men. Women. Husbands. Fathers. Wives. Moms. Listen to me now and hear me later. Your children will follow your example. Leave a good one. If you get angry in traffic and curse the other drivers, guess what your kids will do someday. If you treat people with respect and have grace, your kids will too. Society may be a big influence on our youth, but with positive, engaged examples to follow, the next generations will follow our lead.
Wake up every day knowing this: you never know who you are going to influence. You also do not know when you will have the influence. It could be in the parking lot at church, or in line at the supermarket, on the practice field, or sitting at home watching television. This is the very reason we teach and coach the idea of focusing on yourself first. You must leave a good example for others to follow.
Lead- they will follow.