Leadership is a Relationship


The introduction to the Called to Lead manual references the book, The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations, by James Kouzes and Barry Posner. One of my favorite sections in this book is titled Leadership is a Relationship.

The authors state:

“Personal-best leadership experiences are never stories about solo performances. Leaders never get extraordinary things accomplished all by themselves. Leaders mobilize others to want to struggle for shared aspirations, and this means that, fundamentally, leadership is a relationship. Leadership is a relationship between those who aspire to lead and those who choose to follow. It’s the quality of this relationship that matters most when engaged in getting extraordinary things done. A leader-constituent relationship that’s characterized by fear and distrust will never produce anything of lasting value. A relationship characterized by mutual respect and confidence will overcome the greatest adversities and leave a legacy of significance.”

Think about your relationships with those who choose to follow you. Are those relationships marked by mutual respect and confidence? Do the members of your team feel empowered by you to perform their work with excellence?

Called to Care Action

Set time aside on a weekly basis to build relationships with your team members. Initiate conversations with them and model active listening in your interactions with them.


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