You Can Lead from Any Chair
{{expand}}Like many people, I once believed that leaders were found at the top of an org chart. But after decades of working with dozens of organizations I’ve seen plenty of people occupying a leader’s chair, but not leading. As a result I’ve learned that leadership isn’t a position in an org chart or a title on a business card. A leader is someone who acts like a leader, communicates like a leader, and thinks/feels like a leader – regardless of position or title. This insight carries with it a weighty responsibility. Once we realize that we have the power to make a positive difference we can no longer be content with merely complaining about upper management. In my first corporate job at HP, I pretended that this 100,000 person company was my own, and that what I did mattered. Thinking and acting like an owner gave me the courage to do and say what others only dared to think. Leadership isn’t always rewarded, but I find it much more rewarding than waiting for solutions from above while complaining about the inadequacies of the management team.