How to be a Leader
This past year has surely offered us copious examples of destructive leadership.
But it’s also given rise to a tidal wave of new, inclusive leaders.
2017 brought fresh faces running for — and winning — public office for the first time. A Liberian refugee becoming mayor of Helena, Montana; the first transgender state legislator — a 33 year old! — elected in Virginia.
The recent TIME Magazine cover highlights a record number of women running for office. A slew of everyday people who never saw themselves as politicians who felt compelled to serve, and are finding broad support to do so.
And many more of us are finding our own leadership voice in and outside of our professions, whether that’s speaking truth to power; courageously standing up for what’s right; or even starting new organizations better reflecting our values.
Every day, and all around us we are seeing, experiencing and feeling what ineffective, obstructive and hostile leadership looks like.
And we are simultaneously choosing, consciously, to do the opposite. We are opting-in, ourselves, to be the leaders we wish we had.
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The future of leadership lies in people who embrace and develop a mindset of humility, service, integrity and courage.
2018 will be the year in which this new model of leadership emerges and takes root — even in the face of all of the terrible leadership around us.
The concept of being a leader will rapidly transform from something “for other people to do,” to “hey, that’s something I can do!” Unlike old models of leadership, this future-looking leadership mindset requires no skills, no prerequisites. It’s readily available and accessible to all. We simply have to recognize the opportunities in front of us, and seize them.
Boisterous and boastful leadership granted solely by virtue of title will be replaced by a groundswell of smaller acts of service which will — collectively — reshape our world.
The future is built by changemakers.
And, we the changemakers are ready.