Sheridan Kalletta / You as an Imperfect Leader

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.