Be The Leader You Need.

“We can’t rely too much on the leadership of others. We must focus on the leaders within.”   

Those are the words of academic and author Eddie S. Glaude Jr., whose latest book, We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For, was recently released. Based on a series of W.E.B. Du Bois Lectures that Glaude delivered at Harvard University in 2011, the book's message feels as resonant today as when the lectures were first delivered. 

As he shared in a recent discussion about the book on the Disrupted podcast,   “We should be careful not to outsource our democracy to others. This tendency—to look to others for leadership—displaces a sense of collective responsibility.” 

In these times, as institutions and organizations face increased scrutiny, a myriad of competing crises, and historically low levels of trust, displacing responsibility is not the solution. Rather, we need to be the leaders that we need.

The timing of hearing Glaude’s words—while en route to my local polling place yesterday morning to volunteer—was divine. 

Truth be told, I had been kicking myself the night before for committing so much of my day to serve as a volunteer given many other pressing commitments—and perhaps a misplaced concern about how many off-hand comments I might receive from people who could be expecting the worst from me. After all, an election volunteer in a divisive time isn’t exactly a job people run out to fill.  And yet, it is one role we need. 

(A Brief Civics PSA: It takes more than 1M volunteers to administer election polling sites in the U.S. Find out if your community is in need of volunteers this election season and volunteer at PowerThePolls.org) 

In reality, people at the polls were generally cordial and engaged. They seemed to recognize I was there to support and participate in the process, just as they were. And, we all seemed to understand that to elect leaders we need; we must start by modeling the leadership skills we need.  So, rather than wait for someone else to be the leader we want, each day, we can practice being the leader we need:   

• Be Willing to Step Outside a Comfort Zone. Show up in service of the work, the issue, and the people. As I like to remind myself…“It’s never about you. It’s about what you can do to inspire and move others to action.”  
• Be Present: During tough periods, we look to leaders for guidance and reassurance. You can be that leader. Stay visible, close to the ground, and available to build trust and show your commitment to navigating challenges together. 
• Be Clear: Keep lines of communication open and provide regular updates, even when news is difficult. A lack of clarity and transparency can breed rumors and anxiety, which erodes trust.
• Be Caring: Recognize that everyone is facing their own set of challenges, whether you can see them or not. Practice caring for your colleagues and yourself, which sets a positive tone for the entire team. 

Whether you lead an organization, a team, a project, or a phone call, your behavior sets the tone. Practice showing resilience, staying calm under pressure, and demonstrating care for others, even in challenging times, as those leadership skills can inspire others to do the same. 

Bottom Line: As Eddie Glaude reminded me yesterday, every day, ordinary people do extraordinary things. It is on each of us to display and practice the characteristics of the leader we need. So, the next time you lament current-day leadership, pause and look in the mirror. You are the leader you need. 

This post is part of the Finding The Words column, a series published every Wednesday that delivers a dose of communication insights direct to your inbox. If you like what you read, we hope you’ll subscribe to ensure you receive this each week.