The Death of “Future Leader”
All of the men involved with Mighty Men can be considered "Leaders". We have experience and knowledge that can add value to others. The question becomes are we intentionally living and making this a priority. Next time you see a young leader doing something valuable, commend them on their efforts. If you see one struggling with an issue, provide them with some support and ask them questions on how they think they can make things better. They have the answers and might just need a nudge. It is a very different world today and the answers were learned decades ago might actually not be the right answers. So rather than providing them with opinions and answers, push them for their solution. You will find that "Aspiring Leaders" can come up with the answers where a "Future Leader" will just wait.....
There is a term used all too frequently that just needs to find the graveyard with a R.I.P sign attached. That term is “Future Leader”. This is a label usually assigned to a recent graduate or newer employee. Many young people take it as a compliment and cannot wait for the coming coronation. The problem with this designation is the word “Future”. The question becomes, when? and why wait? I would also ask the question, “When do you officially get the designation of Leader and who is authorized to certify that it is a valid title”?
In one sense, we are all leaders to some extent. As John Maxwell has been preaching for decades, “Leadership is Influence”. Simon Sinek once said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader”. On a daily basis we all have the potential to lead no matter what our age or position in the community/company.
I love the story of the Senior high school football captain walking by one of the “lowly” Sophomore’s and telling them, “Good luck after school in the debate match, take it to them would ya”. The sophomore looked around and realized he was talking to him and sheepishly said “Thanks”. The surprise was that he did not know the captain that well, but more than that, he even knew there was a debate match that day. Yet the action meant the world to the sophomore. The BMOC wanted him to do well in his endeavor. He walked further down the hall with a huge smile on his face and told his teammates before the debate, “We need to crush this, the football team is counting on us”. Simple action, yet great example of leadership and impact. It does not have to be a full day seminar, you do not have to read dozens of books, sometimes it is the simple things that make the most impact. So why would we want to suggest waiting for a future time and place? How about right now!
How about we start telling our young people to aspire and become even better leaders. Leadership, by the way, is not a destination but a journey. In that sense, you can never get to the end but only extend and enhance the journey. All “Great Leaders” are learners and they never quit learning. Since it is an infinite game/journey, why do we use a finite title.?
It is also important to stress that a title is not leadership and a bigger “Tribe” does not mean that you are a better leader. I have worked for “Industry leaders” that oversaw 00’s and 000’s of people and truthfully never made me or other associates better or more influential. Oh sure, I received plenty of training, but looking back, it was primarily designed to be more efficient, cost effective or ways to sell more product.
So, let us all take the entire concept of “Future Leader” and toss it to the Waste Management bin on the side of the road. Let’s help our young people understand Leadership so they can recognize how they can intentionally input it into all phases of their life. Into themselves, their careers, their families and their community. They can do it today. What a tremendous place we would have if everyone got up and during their morning routine (something most leaders implement, but that is another story) said, “How can I make someone in my path better today?.
If not, let’s just put it off till tomorrow and then we can all be “Future Leaders”.
~ Jim Getgey