leadership is a process, not a position

A close look at all the exceptional leaders human history has seen will reveal one simple truth: leaders aren’t born, they’re made. Becoming a leader is not a one-off event, it’s a journey. And leadership is not about acquiring a position or a title, it’s a lifelong process. It’s a constant pursuit of becoming a superior human and taking charge, both in good times and bad. 

Whether it was Marcus, Martin, Mohandas, or Mandela, they did not come out of the womb as accomplished leaders. Absolutely not. They were “groomed” by various people, events, and circumstances to become some of the most influential leaders of all time. 

Many people think leaders are cut from a different cloth. That they have a special “leadership gene.” If you’ve got it, you’ll become a leader, if not, you won’t. But this is far from the truth. If you’re a human, no matter how ordinary you think you are, given the right conditions and circumstances, you too can transform into an exceptional leader. It’s not unlike acquiring an advanced degree or mastering the intricacies of a craft or trade over a span of a good number of years.  

The truth is we’re all leaders either at work, at home, at play, or in the community, in one form or another. So, why not actively pursue this constant, never-ending path? After all, it’s just a matter of going through the right process for us to emerge as remarkable leaders on the other side.