Intentional Leadership

Recently during a return journey home from a downtown, I was reminded of how every action that we chose as an individual has significant potential implications, even when we can’t see it at the time. Traffic was bumper to bumper, moving slowly. Slower than we all would have preferred, I suppose. Isn’t it usually?

 

Out of nowhere, speeding up the breakdown lane so fast that my car physically felt that familiar swoosh with displaced air, a truck – probably going three times the speed of the rest of us, in a prohibited lane; winding in and out of traffic to avoid the disabled cars parked in the lane and endangering all whom were close.

 

My emotions began to run wild. At first, there was shock – the kind that feels like you’ve just been hit in the face and didn’t see it coming. The kind that makes you have to catch your breath. The kind that feels like you’re in a bad dream. Then fear kicked in and that tingle of the quick adrenaline rush in my fingers as my automatic instincts took over. And then anger, almost rage. Anger at the total indignance of someone’s own selfish behavior at the expense of others lives. Because in that truck with this man was a little boy riding in the passenger seat, entirely at the disposal of the drivers hand. A driver, possibly his father, who seemingly did not even care about the danger in which he putting this little boy, but even more so of the total lack of leadership example he was teaching this young child.

 

And I began to think about my own choices – what choices do I make day to day, moment by moment, that display or don’t display intentional leadership? And what is their impact? What choices do I make at others expense? Sarcastic remarks? Gossip? Impatience? Lack of understanding? Do I encourage others to take risks and then support them through it? Do I display a concern about others well being? Do I include others? Do I collaborate with others? Do I want more what is best for them or best for myself?

 

It is all about my INTENTION to make choices about what kind of leader I want to be. In each moment and with each act, I have a choice and the ability to make an intentional decision about the kind of leader I want to be and inspire others to be.

 

What kind of leader do you want to be? What kind of intentional leadership choices can you make today that will inspire another to be the best they can be?

 

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