by Sihle Phakathi
Leadership is typically associated with being in the spotlight, looking poised and fancy. That was the mindset I had from my younger years. As a result, I always felt the need to chase to be in a position of leadership. That all changed the more I matured mentally. What if I told you that being a leader is simpler than you may think?
Well, I wish that was my story but now, I have a different perspective on leadership. Growing up, I have always wanted to be in leadership. Looking back now, I realized that it wasn’t for the right reasons.
I would typically associate leadership with accolades of materials, trophies, the obvious external display of status, and finally, the admiration of others. However, fast forward to a few years later, as an adult, my perspective of leadership has shifted completely. I have realized that leadership isn’t what necessarily counts but the kind of leadership does. If leadership alone was enough without character, we wouldn’t be living a world full of stress and turmoil.
I have come to realize that genuine guidance comes with a lot of humility. In the Bible, we see that even God leads with humility, showing us through both scripture and the beauty of creation that true leadership is not about loud displays, but about quiet strength and guidance. Have you ever stopped to think how the beauty of nature isn’t loud? If not, I encourage you to stop and look at what’s around you. Notice whether true beauty comes from a place of noise or subtleness. Even the bible shows us the aftermath of leaders who ruled from a place of pride and wisdom. Take time to notice how those old times don’t mirror what we see around us today.
To me, the key to truly inspiring others and being an effective leader comes from exercising humility in all areas of life. If you can’t be that in your private and daily life, how can you handle public spaces?
Start by identifying how you can place nuggets of good actions in the people you encounter daily. As mentioned earlier, true leadership isn’t extravagant but quietly present. As the famous Maya Angelou once said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
So, look around you. Who can you be a blessing to today? In what capacity can you be a blessing to them? It can be something small like giving a compliment to your child or expressing appreciation to your significant other. With actions like that, it will be easy for you to be a source of inspiration without doing the most. From my perspective, helping people brings a sense of inspiration to not only them but fosters personal growth as well.
I look at myself from this perspective. Sometimes, true leadership can be done from the backstage. Although I know that I don’t get noticed much by others, I know that God notices me. I may not be on famous stages on global platforms receiving endless praise, but I am content with the little that I do that may mean a lot to someone else.
I find that this version of being a leader comes with elevating someone’s perspective, even if it’s just one person. The subtle and long-lasting impact of leadership and true inspiration truly doesn’t have to be loud. A great place to start is by exercising a bit of self-awareness. Can you take a few moments to just analyze where you are and how you hope to inspire others? Who do you know may need your help today? Your answer might be right under your nose.
As you continue with your life, remember that you can be the leader you know you can be. In case you’re interested in more inspirational content, feel free to visit my blog Goodness of Serenity as well. Today, I hope you have learned something new. You can be a leader and inspire people today.
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