The Unexpected Leader

10  Everyday Ways to Lead

I'm not exactly saying that this is my favorite chapter, but I do have a lot of love and respect for this chapter. This is my opportunity to help you see that leadership and its benefits surround us every day and have the potential to be embedded in everything we do.

I do recognize that the word “leadership” closely resonates with people in a professional or business setting. If you asked someone where you would most likely see leaders leading and you gave them three options:

• In the workplace
• On the golf course
• At a restaurant

people are most likely going to pick “in the workplace.” But I'm going to push back and challenge that. Solid leadership is the amalgamation of several core areas:

• Self-awareness
• Personality traits
• Communication
• Agility and adaptability
• Delegation
• Innovation and change maker

And, since we're engaging in activities outside the workplace every day that allow us to strengthen skills in these six areas, leadership can be cultivated, grown, and refined outside of the workplace.

But for this to work, I have to ask you to do something (again). I want you to embrace your leadership role all day every day, rather than waiting until you walk into one particular place to put on your leadership cape. Recognize that whether you're at the gym, in the office, at happy hour, on vacation, or running a meeting, you are a leader.

I'm not someone who is serious and in business mode every single day of my life and in every single situation. I ...