LEADERSHIP TIPS FOR THE EMERGING LEADER.
Some say we are born leaders; others say leadership can be learned. But the truth is, successful leadership is not magic. It is backed by years of service, sacrifice, experience and all leaders have a starting point. This is true even for those who claim to have been born as leaders, there is an entry point for their emergence as leaders. There comes a time when a person is transformed from an assistant to the main boss, from a follower to the one in charge of the group. Some people sail through this transition point with ease, and others struggle to rise the leadership ladder. Still, many others never make it through this entry point into leadership.
Today, I want to share two key lessons that I have learned about emerging leadership. These lessons were drawn from observing the leadership scene and also from my own leadership experience, particularly from my role as the President of the Youth Caucus of the Ghana chapter of the African Women Leaders Network and from other leadership positions which I have had the privilege to occupy.
The leadership scene is quite an interesting place, especially for an emerging leader who is poised to make their mark. It can be welcoming and hostile at the same time. It can turn from fairly simple to complicated within minutes. It can be frustrating and yet rewarding. It can be amusing, yet you dare not laugh, keep a straight face. Above all, it’s a place where your continued survival is determined by your relevance and the trust circle you have built.
The trust circle is very essential for the emerging leader because at some point in leadership, you will need someone to recommend you, speak up for you, someone to say “I know this person, they can be trusted”. Build your trust circle by building trust with the people who are relevant in your industry or people on the leadership scene before you emerge. By building trust, I do not mean becoming a people pleaser. I meant work hard and let your result show that you can be trusted, allow yourself to be mentored so that you can develop a relationship with the people who matter, keep your word, be present when you are needed, exhibit humility and appreciate the sacrifices of those who paved the way for you.
Your relevance is your personal value proposition. It is what sets you apart from the crowd and qualifies you to be on that leadership table. Unfortunately, many people work on their relevance when they sight the leadership opportunity on the horizon, but it’s often too late. Do the work required to build your relevance before the leadership opportunity comes. Take up every opportunity to serve or to lead; no opportunity is too small for the young person who wants to emerge as a trusted leader. Do the work on yourself; attend the workshops and read the books. Go back to school and finish that degree, start that Master’s program, learn that new language and write the articles that need to be written. Start now!
I will end here for today, but keep watching this space for tips on how to hold your position as an emerging leader.
