CULTURE & NARRATIVES
Tapping into leader in
the you
Leaders surround us. We move through our world
and as a single parent was raising me, she did
tributes that lie within each of us.
in the broader world. Oh how different my life
blindly and often do not realize the leadership at-
The word leadership can mean different things to different people. It can be a difficult word to
define because it is something that is reflected
back on you by others — it is not merely a title or a role. More often than not, leadership is not
about making everyone happy. It is about show-
ing up, even when it would be so much easier not
to, and helping others find their own success in a meaningful way.
If you have raised children,
taught others, participated in religious groups or served in professional organizations, you have
tapped into your own leadership attributes and,
in doing so, influenced others. At the end of the day, it is about knowing your ‘why’ — your reason for doing what you do.
Personally, I never expected to be regarded as “a
leader” amongst my peers and colleagues in the water sector. And now, as I move to a new phase
of my career — serving on the ROCKBlue Board of Directors — I regularly hear myself referred
to in these terms. Which begs these questions: How does someone get to be considered a leader
in their sphere of influence? Is it charisma? Is it
determination? Is it something rare and innate that only others have? Is it by election? I believe
that leadership ultimately comes from knowing and living your own ‘why.’
I was the first person in my family to attend university.
I asked for help from my high school
guidance counselor. Even though I had particularly good grades and was “scholarship-worthy”,
she leaned over and told me to give up my dream of college and learn a trade. My family was poor
not think that I would find success in college and would have been had I not known my ‘why’... I chose to listen to my heart and head and not external voices. I chose a life of public service,
a rich life - filled with opportunities taken when challenges arose and an array of many fascinat-
ing people who have flowed in and out of my life, always willing to share their knowledge freely.
This life has given me an ability to serve my many communities of choice in many ways.
