After watching the latest round of commercials promoting America’s top “this” and greatest “that” it occurred to me that authentic leaders go beyond those titles. In fact, they are the everyday people who are not voted most famous, glamour, and popular.
Of course, we know there are leaders among us who are the unsung heroes. These are the real leaders who go unacknowledged and unappreciated. Sometime leaders include the tireless workers in emergency situations, teachers who work relentless hours for near minimum wage, and those who serve us in our day to day circumstances.
These are the people who step up to the plate to do the ordinary in extraordinary ways. Often these are the underdogs who go the extra mile to make sure that we are comfortable. It could also be the hospitality manager at a hotel or a clerk at the corner grocery store. Regardless, it is someone who took the initiate to be a leader.
Every day there are parents who volunteer at their child’s school and neighbors who just care enough to stop by every now and then. Leadership qualities are in the thoughtful person who rewards others while expecting nothing in return.
As the world continues to turn on an axis of celebrating the most prominent and the extremely superficial, real leaders are often not the most visible. Thankfully there are a few people who are just kind enough to be leaders without being prompted by a script.
Dawn McCoy, author of Leadership Building Blocks: An Insider’s Guide to Success
