Sheridan Kalletta, Workforce Marketing and Entrepreneurship Coordinator at Pikes Peak Community College shares with the Quad what being a leader means to her.
You as an imperfect leader.
Yes, you. And me. And everyone else in the world who is a
leader or wants to be one. We are all
imperfect, we are all human. So now what
do we do?
Now, you just need to be you.
Is being you telling a joke and making others laugh; do it. Is being you gathering your facts and then
sharing with others; do it. Is being you
listening to others before talking; do it.
First, just be you. What’s next
then?
Do more – huh? Next, do
something besides just being you. Act, participate,
get others to do the same. Action is
positive, action takes you in a direction, action gets results, action is the
basis of change; and that is good, that is leading. Then what?
Include – who, what?
Include a wider circle than your own thoughts; include facts and
opinions and perspectives, from others whether they are near or far, from your
friends, from experts, from a most unlikely source. Be open to ideas and people, spread them out,
give them room; let them share with you, and add depth. Is there more?
Listen – to what? To
the feedback from your action and the action of others. Listen to what your gut says, what your team
says, what the results point to – listen and then ask: what is this teaching
me? Take the time to really listen and
reflect; this is the hardest part because it means you have to slow down, quiet
your mind, even sit still. All
hard. All key. Do not skip this step because it makes you
uncomfortable – it will get you results.
And finally?
Accept – for real?
Easier said than done. Much
easier said than done. I know; I have my
biases, I have my beliefs, I have my thought habits. Here’s what’s real though – everyone is just
being themselves – like me, and you. So
if I accept myself and my imperfections, then honestly I have to accept others
and their imperfections. My final share:
my life is richer and so are my thoughts, my actions, and my results when I
give importance to the ideas, opinions, and perspectives of others – I benefit,
and so do you.
So, who am I to write about this? I am an imperfect leader; leading myself,
doing my work, contributing to a team, and sharing what I have learned – one
imperfect day at a time.