Within the context of higher education, the term “leadership” is often used. Leadership is so greatly valued; it is often featured prominently in mission statements; schools hope to graduate future world leaders, leaders in industry, research and so forth. But what qualities does the word “leader” conjure for you? When I think of budding leaders, I don’t often think of the student who intentionally dominates classroom discussions simply because they can, or the expert in their field who clutches the microphone at professional or academic conferences at the expense of other’s ability to contribute to the conversation. Although this behavior may be encouraged and even dubbed as the makings of a leader, it is not the most compelling one by far.
Compelling leaders, from my perspective, are those who are attentive to and value the variety of people in the room and strive to work well with others for the common good. Thinking collaboratively enables everyone to shine. Working with students every day I see how deeply they care and hold concern for one another, and it is this horizontal orientation that inspires me daily. A mentor of mine often says, “no one is brilliant all on their own.” There is always more to the story of a charismatic leader, attention to that “more” enables challenging the status quo and a curiosity to learn from one’s peers – and not only those who are comfortable in the spotlight. What example(s) would you give for overlooked forms of leadership that may offer a different way of thinking about it?