Pages

Tuesday, 30 September 2014

Lead {SheLoves}


Two blog posts in two days, something must be going on! How about a manic month ending with a week off just in time before I’ve completely missed the boat?! September’s SheLoves link up has been on the theme: LEAD. Somehow I’ve really struggled to connect this month. Maybe because I’ve overcommitted on cross-stitching (see previous post) maybe I’ve been a bit under the weather. More likely it’s just a tricky topic for me to relate to openly. Even now, on the last day of September there is so much buzzing around my head about leadership, but nothing that I feel comfortable putting into words. Read some other takes on it here.

Here is the truth: We are all leaders. Every single one of us. Everything we do impacts upon those around us, causes them to live in response to us. Here are some examples:

Last Christmas my car very sadly drove it’s final few miles to the scrap heap. We’ve managed almost a year as a one-car household, and as a consequence I am much fitter as my bicycle frequently carries me to work instead! I have a colleague who recently took advantage of the cycle to work scheme we are offered and over the summer she chose to cycle the 10 miles each way to work and back twice a week, even though she had a fully functional car at home. She’ll openly say she never considered that a possibility until I started to do it.

I have started taking my cross-stitch into work and managing about 10 minutes on it over lunch time, in an attempt to hurry along progress. Now there are two or three craft projects on the go around the dining table.

A friend of mine invited me to an orchestra one time and now I’m a (semi) regular attendee of play days, when previously I hadn’t picked up my violin for 8 years!

Now I am NOT one of those bubbly, always centre-of-attention people. Actually I hate being the centre of attention, that’s why I’ve struggled to write about my “official” leadership positions. But I have changed people’s lifestyles (in these cases, by accident!) But I will happily lead by my life. Just by being myself, I can give others permission to be themselves.


What can / do you do that is a little off-beat, but allows others to be themselves?

2 comments:

  1. Hi, just come over to return the following! You are a "no-reply" blogger because there isn't an email attached to your profile. So if you'd like to be in the Blog Hop please drop me an email, thanks.
    Now, on to your question - What do I do? I guess you could say that I AM a leader, somehow I always seem to get co-opted onto committees! When I gave up work to have my children one colleague said "I give it six months and you'll be running something". She was right, the Toddler Group! I still run that group, have been on the preschool committee and the PTA (8 years and counting) and have recently joined the Special School Association where I was asked to be Treasurer at the first meeting! I turned that one down LOL.
    By being keen and enthusiastic it encourages other people to get involved. They see me at the entrance to the school events and know I am a person they can come to. Alot of parents are in awe of teachers or struggle with their authority but feel I am a good go-between!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey, sorry about that, I've just had a look to fix it and am struggling to even find my profile to add an address onto... shall email you shortly though!

    I often find myself in similar situations... just by being keen, doing things well and noticing the gaps I often find myself being the one to fill them. You sound like a good person to know in the playground!

    ReplyDelete