Leadership

Leadership is a word to me that has so many different meanings. In school, your history teachers may have talked about great leaders in our past. At work, it may be your boss or manager who talks about leadership and taking initiative with your position. It’s even a common topic for those inspirational talks your coach gives you at halftime when you’re getting your butt handed to you by another team. Whatever the case, it’s a word that can be taken, shown or talked about in a lot of different contexts.

If you type “Leadership” on Google, there are numerous results that pop up. Definitions, quotes, pictures, and even books on the topic.

Here is what I found on Wikipedia:

Leadership has been described as "process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task".

To me, that doesn’t even scratch the surface.

So let’s take a step back for a minute and break this down a bit. We should start by examining how “Leadership” exists. It all starts with a “Leader”. Without a great leader, leadership would not exist right? Right. If you took a second and thought about those influential people in your life from the past as well as in the present, you could probably come up with a handful of individuals that made an impact on who you are today.

I know mine, you should ask me the next time you see me.

Leaders do a lot more than just getting the job done or hitting the game winning homer. They make the people around them better. You see, a great leader doesn’t have to be the most athletic person on the team, the smartest student in the classroom or even the most popular kid in school. They are people who influence others around them to be the best they can possibly be. They are also people who do the right thing all the time no matter what. Other qualities include:

· Setting a good example by being honest, sincere and caring about others thoughts, feelings and
   dreams while at the same time expressing their own.

· Not conforming to others beliefs and influences if they don’t agree with them but instead, blaze their own path.

·   High energy and passion for what they do.

·   Able to teach and learn from others.

·   Prepared for barriers along the way where others may fall.

·   Learning from failures instead of giving up when they happen.

·   Bring out the best in their peers.

A great leader can inspire others to do things they once thought were imaginable. I mean, look at game 4 in the 2004 ALCS. I think you know who I’m talking about!

All The Best,


Adam Tielinen BS, CSCS
OA Performance Center
atielinen@orthoassociates.com