Leaders don’t need titles

By Dan Rockwell   Article

You Can Lead Your Way into Leadership

“Leaders don’t wait for titles; leaders don’t need titles. Lead today. Don’t wait for a “leadership” relationship or position to gradually develop; create it by humbly leading, now.

Don’t:

Don’t accept traditional definitions of leadership that include telling people what to do and standing in front of people talking.

Do:

Embrace the definition that leadership is influence. You always influence – believe it and own it.

Lead your way into a title:

Do what all leaders always do regardless of their official position. Kouzes and Posner summarize the five practices of exemplary leadership in The Leadership Challenge. You don’t need a leadership title to adopt these powerful practices.

1. Model the way.
2. Inspire a shared vision.
3. Challenge the process/status quo.
4. Enable others to act.
5. Encourage the heart.”