How Often?

"Integrity is choosing courage over comfort; choosing what is right over what is fun, fast or easy; and choosing to practice our values rather than simply professing them." - Brené Brown

It's Saturday afternoon as I'm writing this. I've just finished facilitating the July session of our year long Let's L.E.A.D. Program with SCARF Youth here in the Illawarra (Strategic Community Assistance for Refugee Families). I'm feeling so inspired (again). But also reflective. So much of what came up within the session today, plus what a Year 5 girl said during one of our program days a week ago, keeps bouncing around my head.

"Leadership's not a title. It's a behaviour. Live it!" - Robin Sharma

As you know I'm passionate about leadership. I love learning more about it. I love talking about it. I love noticing it. But I guess what's even more important than all that is how often do I embody it and make it real through my thoughts, words and actions? As the Year 5 girl remarked so wisely within our program day last week, if leadership was a form of transport I'd choose a boat, they're popular but how often do we use them?

"The most powerful leadership tool you have is your own example." - John Wooden

The challenge of leading inspires me (the purposeful use of my thoughts, words and actions to make a difference in my own and others lives). I love that the Year 5 girl's comment, the work being undertaken by the participants involved in our year long Let's L.E.A.D. group and my own reflections on those above are not mired in judgement, but rather are a part of the process of staying curious, compassionate and purposefully aligned (and continuing to realign) along the leadership journey. It's definitely not about perfection. I'll take progress and creating ripples over that each and every day.

"Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile." - Vince Lombardi