Who is Leadership Really For?
It is always a challenge I hear when I share what I teach, people ask why leadership skills matter. Simply put, it’s life skills that can be applied anywhere! Most don’t see it that way. Many believe it is reliant on a title but Mark Sanborn says, “You don’t need a title to be a leader. Anyone can be a leader by doing their best and setting a good example”. People then argue that, nobody listens to them or they don’t have any authority, yet John Maxwell teaches that “Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less”.
So who is leadership training, skills, the study of leadership, etc. Who is this for?! Anyone, let me prove it to you. Read this list and find where you are. I guarantee you are one of these on the list.
Teachers – They influence and lead their students in the classroom.
Parents – You influence and are training/raising your children.
Spouses – You directly influence your spouse and your attitude, reaction, and words matter.
Managers – There are plenty of bad ones, but good managers are also leaders who inspire and make the work day easier because they care about their employees.
Executives – Visionaries and leaders of companies.
Pastors – Leads a church in spiritual matters and wants their congregations to live up to the potential they have in God.
Discipleship – Do you realize the model of leadership is nearly identical to the model of leadership? Relationship-focused, cares about people, and is about reproducing more disciples and multiplying impact for the Christian faith. So, if you’re a Christian, you’re also called to be a leader.
Students – Think about all the opportunities students have on classmates to encourage and lead clubs/activities and the impact a student can have on peers.
Children – If parents are willing to be humble, children can teach you things you didn’t even realize you needed. Sometimes, the simplicity of a child will show you a way to be a better person. That is influence.
Friend – Encouragement, a kind text, compliments, being a friend when a person is hurting or low. All those instances hold influence. Imagine being in a discussion and sharing something you’ve learned that made you a better person. You’re sharing impact and having influence because of a friendship.
Athletes – Our society looks up to athletes; even in High School and College, athletes are the popular crowd many look to. They have a position of influence.
Employee – You influence your coworkers, the customers you interact with, and even your manager. When you bring a new idea, solve a problem, and do your work diligently, all of those have an impact and hold influence.
This list isn’t exhaustive. I could list probably 20 more easily. The point is, if you interact with people, you have a level of influence. Leadership skills include relationship building, communication, empathy, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, critical thinking, etc. When someone can tell me how those skills are exclusive to a job and not skills that transcend all avenues of life, I will continue to say…
Leadership is for everyone.
I believe everyone deserves to be led well and an opportunity to learn leadership skills. Leadership skills should never be gated behind a title or position.
Nick Dyson is the owner of Dyson Leadership and is a Maxwell Leadership Certified Speaker, Trainer, and Coach. Providing Leadership coaching, training, workshops, Lunch & Learns, and more!
To learn more about training provided by Dyson Leadership, visit our webpage.
