Lead from Where You Are

Leadership is part influence, part inspiration, part instruction, and part investment. Great leaders learn to master the balance of these skills.

Those who possess leadership skills may or may not be in a position of authority, and being in a position of authority does not grant one leadership skills. The influence of others comes naturally to some, and can be learned by others. Leadership is the ability to positively impact those around you through influence, inspiration, instruction, and investment. With this said, you can lead from anywhere.

Leading from a position of authority

Leading from a position of authority is most often a job requirement. It’s easy to lead by ‘telling’, but not necessarily very effective. To show is so much more rewarding and effective than to dictate. People are more inspired to do something if they understand why they are doing it, and it's worth the investment in each individual to show them the big picture. This is where their imagination takes flight and their personal and professional growth begins.

When leaders invest in the growth of individuals, and the collective, they inspire people to expand and excel. They create an environment that is exciting and satisfying, and one where people are more productive and happier in their jobs. When teams share this experience of growth and expansion, it generally gives them a passion for what they are learning, and who they are learning it with. This type of heart-led leadership is what builds strong team dynamics, loyalty, and excellence.

Leading from a position of authority is to 1) Influence people by sharing your experience and ideas, 2) Inspire people to contribute to your vision, because they feel a part of the big picture, 3) Instruct them by showing, not telling, and 4) Invest in their personal journey of growth and success.

Leading from within the pack

Leading from within the pack is one of the easiest ways to influence those around you and make a positive impact. This is about sharing your first-hand knowledge and the best practices that you are already well-versed in. It’s about adding value, not competition. This is about sharing your ideas with your peers, and lending a helping hand, to influence their growth and success.

You can also influence the collective by sharing your thoughts and ideas with the group, impacting general processes, the evolution of the work environment, team structures, group goals, and more.

When a group rises together, the thought leaders at the helm are noticed, and so are the leadership skills they possess. Leading your peers by adding value is a great way to build strong relationships as a trusted advisor, and set yourself apart from the pack, as a natural leader.

It’s one of the best ways to demonstrate your ability to lead and attract greater leadership opportunities, because you’ve already shown your willingness and ability to invest in the success of others, and you’ve already built strong relationships based on value and trust – which are key attributes of someone who would be promoted into that next leadership role. 

Leading from within the pack is about lending a helping hand, voicing your ideas openly to your peers and your bosses, adding value to the collective, influencing how things get done, and investing in the growth of those around you.

Leading from below

Leading from below is to offer answers to questions, and solutions to problems, even if it’s not your job. It’s about voicing your opinions, and sharing your ideas in such a way that you can influence the evolution of your own role, and your direct relationships.        

My client was not in a position of authority. She was offered a role that in fact, she was not qualified for. The person she would support saw her potential, and wanted to personally mentor her, giving her the training she would need to thrive in the role. Unfortunately, that person was not a teacher.

My client began to feel frustrated, seeing others in similar roles learning and growing at a faster pace, with better resources. The more she tried to acquire the training she expected from her superior, the more the relationship degraded because her superior didn’t know how to teach.

Through coaching, my client realized that she was the one with the leadership skills, and she started putting them to use, influencing her boss through suggestions, great ideas, lending a helping hand, and a positive attitude. She put together her own training program, and suggested ways she could add more value. She showed that the future results of each step of her training program would offer even more value.

Leading from below makes you ‘low-maintenance’ to those you report to. By providing solutions instead of problems, you prove you can be trusted to get things done on your own, and you influence those around you through ideas, suggestions and adding value.

This example works at any level of leadership, where there’s also someone you report to, even your clients.

Influence. Inspiration. Instruction. Investment.

To lead from where you are, influence the people around you by sharing your ideas, inspire them by providing solutions to problems, instruct them when you have best practices or knowledge to share, and invest in the growth and expansion of others, individually and collectively.