by Patty L. Fletcher
A leader is someone who takes the time to truly know those they are leading.
A leader is thoughtful, caring, kind, and considerate of others -- someone willing to listen and take all sides of an issue into consideration before making decisions.
To me, the word LEADER itself says something about what leadership should be.
A leader:
ï Loves,
ï Examines all issues,
ï Acknowledges the needs and contributions of others,
ï Delights in the successes of others,
ï Excels in reinforcing positive growth, and
ï Raises the standards of the people, places, and things entrusted to their stewardship.
Above all, a leader understands that leadership is not about putting oneself first.
I never truly understood what a leader was -- or how to become one -- before I became part of the American Council of the Blind.
It was during an ACB Leadership Conference that I was first bitten by the leadership bug. That experience drew me more deeply into the organization, and since then, I have never looked back at the kind of leader I once was without recognizing how much I still had to learn.
When I was younger, I took on leadership roles, but I did not always understand leadership in its truest form. In fact, I continue learning what it means today.
As I began observing leaders such as Cindy Hollis, Dan and Leslie Spoone, Sarah Calhoun, and, most recently, Kaila Allen, I began to grow.
I accepted leadership positions. More importantly, I began thinking and acting like a leader not only while attending a meeting or working on a project, but in my everyday life.
Sometimes I find myself thinking, "What would Kaila think if she heard that I said or did this?" That kind of accountability matters.
The people we respect can become mirrors through which we examine ourselves. They challenge us to bring forward our better qualities while letting go of those that no longer serve us -- or the people we have agreed to serve.
As I continue seeking leadership roles within the American Council of the Blind, its special-interest affiliates such as Guide Dog Users, Inc., and other organizations, I hope to become the kind of leader people feel comfortable approaching with their ideas, thoughts, feelings, and needs.
But I hope for something more than that. I hope those I lead discover, through the work they are doing, leadership qualities within themselves. Because one day, I will step down. One day, I will hand the work to someone else. If I have done my job correctly as a leader, those who come after me will rise to the challenge with great vigor and strength, passionate energy, and a deep desire to take their people, places, and organizations to an entirely new level.
Then, when their time comes, they too will pass the leadership torch forward.
That is how leadership grows. That is how it blooms. And that is how it continues.