MESSAGE #353 ARE YOU A LEADER OR A FOLLOWER?

Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Nicole Arendt in Sydney, Australia.

Some people are leaders and some people are followers. There is no right or wrong – some people would rather be followers and that’s fine. But if you’re a follower because you think you CAN’T become a leader, you’re wrong!

Anybody can become a leader – all you have to do is copy what great leaders do and start to act like a great leader.

This week’s TIME magazine features Nelson Mandela and talks about the eight secrets of leadership. Below is my favorite part of the article…

No. 1: Courage is not the absence of fear – it’s inspiring others to move beyond it.

“In 1994, during the presidential – election campaign, Mandela got on a tiny propeller plane to fly down to the killing fields of Natal and give a speech to his Zulu supporters. I agreed to meet him at the airport, where we would continue our work after his speech. When the plane was 20 minutes from landing, one of its engines failed. Some on the plane began to panic. The only thing that calmed them was looking at Mandela, who quietly read his newspaper as if he were a commuter on his morning train to the office. The airport prepared for an emergency landing, and the pilot managed to land the plane safely. When Mandela and I got in the backseat of his bulletproof BMW that would take us to the rally, he turned to me and said, “Man, I was terrified up there!”

Stengel, R. (July 21, 2008). Mandela: His 8 lessons of leadership. Time, p. 44.

See, it’s okay to feel afraid, but you don’t have to act afraid. I see many athletes nervous before a competition and they look terrified. I see many athletes tired at the end of a match and I see many employees tired at the end of the work day. Most people act according to how they feel, but it’s the great ones that act how they want to feel. And if you’re part of a team, whether it’s a sports team, work team or relationship team, you can be a leader by how you act.

Thanks for reading.