Let's blog!

Hello again!

The word is getting out and folks are starting to join the Leadership Lounge as authorized bloggers! 

As a reminder, this space has been created as a forum to dialogue about the topics that many of you have participated in during a recent onsite event at the Leadership Institute or during an online WebShop.  I'd like to kick this blog off by sharing the Leadership Institute's view of "leadership" as a way to set the stage for what topics are fair game for examination.

From an academic standpoint, there are over 100 definitions of leadership - some views of leadership are based on what a leader does, others on how a leaders behave and still others on what qualities a leader possesses.  And views of what leadership is have morphed over the years.  Think about what "leadership" looked like in the 50's and 60's - primarily male oriented, hierarchical...how would you describe it now?  And how would you describe how it happens in the field of interpreting?  When you start to really think about it, leadership is a rather nebulous concept and one that is largely dependant on the interplay between members of an organization or group.  So now what?

When was in my Master's degree program one of my instructors said "If you cannot first lead your own life you cannot lead anyone else." this statement had a powerful impact on me and helped me to refine my own understanding of leadership.  I personally believe that leadership is first about knowing one's self, making conscious decisions about how one wants to "show up" and support others, and having the communication, inter and intrapersonal skills it takes to build solid relationships.  Any organization, or group, is really made up of a series of relationships - in order to be successful then, leaders must know how to cultivate these relationships - and in order to cultivate relationships leaders must be good stewards of their own life and their own energy.

This is the reason that the vast majority of leadership, inter and intrapersonal skills topics presented at the Leadership Institute are about YOU!  Leadership, for me personally, has been a journey into self, and has presented a myriad of opportunities to blossom as an individual.  And we see the same thing happen time and again as we are given opportunities to share our work with others.

So that's how we see leadership - how do you define it?
Amy