What do great leaders do more than anyone else? Great leaders live a leadership lifestyle by leading all the time. More than anything else, great leaders are consistent.
Leadership affects our everyday interactions and experiences. As leaders, everything we say and do has an impact. We either bring others up or we bring them down. We either add value or we don’t.
Many people confuse leadership with what they see highlighted on tv, especially mic’d up sessions during the big games. Leadership is not just a game day thing. It’s not just a sometimes thing. It’s an all-the-time thing.
Being a true leader is challenging because it requires an intentional and consistent approach to all that we do. Leaders don’t pick and choose which days they feel like giving their best. They embrace leadership as a lifestyle.
When leaders embrace the leadership lifestyle they show up the same way in the classroom, on the court, at home, at the office, and in public. Leaders do the right thing because they hold themselves to a higher standard.
Living the leadership lifestyle requires a conscientious effort to do the following on a consistent basis:
- Building others up
- Being a great team member
- Having a positive attitude
- Encouraging others
- Doing the difficult tasks
- Showing up early
- Staying late
- Taking notes
- Asking questions
- Mentoring others
- Seeking help
- Gaining knowledge & wisdom
- Serving others first
Leadership is impact. It’s about the legacy you leave behind. Great leaders simply make others better. They leave every person, place, and program better than they found it.
Leadership is not just when the cameras are on. It’s not just a sometimes thing. It is an all the time, 24/7 thing. Choosing to be an impactful leader is choosing to live the lifestyle of leadership all day every day.
Leadership is a lifestyle!
