The Five Practices of Exemplary Student Leadership: A Brief Introduction (J-B Leadership Challenge: Kouzes/Posner)

THE MOST TRUSTED SOURCE ON BECOMING A BETTER LEADER

Leadership Matters

Leadership is not a fad. It's a fact. It's not here today, gone tomorrow. It's here today, and here forever.

Leadership makes a difference. Try naming one significant movement that wandered leaderless into the history books. And leadership matters most in times of uncertainty. The study of leadership is the study of how men and women guide us through adversity, uncertainty, hardship, disruption, transformation, transition, recovery, and new beginnings. Challenge is the opportunity for greatness. Given the daunting challenges we face today, the potential for greatness is phenomenal.

People matter. Even in today's wired world, it's not the web of technology but the web of people that matters most. Leaders can't do it alone. Success in any project, organization, enterprise and in life has been, is now, and will continue to be a function of how well people work and engage with each other. Success in leadership depends on your capacity to build and sustain collaborative human relationships.

You matter. People who become leaders don't always seek the challenges they face. Challenges also seek leaders. It's not so important whether you find the challenges or they find you. What is important are the choices you make when stuff happens. The next time you say to yourself, "Why don't they do something about this?" look in the mirror. Ask the person you see, "Why don't I do something about this?" The legacy that you leave will be the life that you lead.