Leadership Is Not Just About Position, But Being In Position

Recently, I spoke at a high school in Oakland. I have to admit, before I arrived at the school I had images of a dirty and unkempt campus. As I parked my car in front of the school I prepared myself for the odor of musty hallways and the trash being strewn around the school grounds and hallways.

I was so wrong. The school was immaculate! As I walked through the corridors I started to think about the person(s) responsible for maintaining the school’s interiors. As I walked to the classroom where I was to speak there she was, this striking middle-aged woman at the bottom of the stairs, working away. I just had to tell her what a wonderful job she was doing. As I approached her she greeted me with a smile. This was the smile of a person who enjoys her work and takes pride in it.

I expressed to her that she was doing an incredible job! She smiled and thanked me for the compliment. I have to tell you that I believe she would do a great job no matter if she received acknowledgement for her work or not.

I shared my thoughts with the Assistant Principal. She stated that her work ethic was not only appreciated by the teachers, but all of the students.

In my mind, she is not just a custodian, but a leader. She demonstrated hard work, conscientiousness, commitment, and a dedication to being the best she could be. She is modeling a type of leadership that all of us could learn from.

Leadership is not just about position, but being in position to impact others.