All members at work can enact leadership informally.

Who said you need a title to be a leader?

All members at work can enact leadership informally, it is not conferred by title or location in the executive suite. Leadership is demonstrated through our everyday actions and the way we influence the lives of those around us, for if your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then you my friend are a leader.

Much has been said and written about people who hold senior positions in companies and other Organisations and what makes them successful leaders. Equally so, there are large numbers of people who lead everyday exemplary and influential lives but go unnoticed. As they strive for excellence and perfection, what leadership lessons can be learnt from these people? How can they continue leading effectively even in the absence of praise and recognition? How can they continue inspiring change amid the title?

Leadership is the potential that each person embodies. It is formed as we take on the opportunities and challenges of our everyday life, and it is measured by our successes and failures. It is my belief and experience that the leadership lessons we learn in our everyday lives can and should be carried with us into our work environments, and that they can help us become better leaders of our people.

In writing this article, I have been compelled to reflect on leadership based on my own experiences. I realize that it has been the most simple of people who have remarkably displayed and exemplified the truest nature of leadership. And they do so by the strength of their character and their authenticity—by the way they live their lives on a daily basis. I admire and respect them because their motivation is pure, and they live on the strength of their conviction.

Across all spheres and disciplines, leadership is about the human spirit and human enterprise, encapsulated by core values that define character. It is this character that makes the difference in the form and quality of accomplishment. It is often said that- “leadership is the capacity to continually create.”

In the next section, I explore some key elements that can potentially assist senior members to encourage all members at work to enact leadership without the title.

• Do right by your people

Reward the employee who’s gone above and beyond; back someone who’s made an innocent mistake and increase freedom if deserved. Encourage an environment where people unashamedly learn from a blunder or a miscalculation. This will see employees pointing towards the mirror to take the brunt of the responsibility.

• Be a source of positivity and inspiration

Great leaders make everyone around them feel good about their involvement within the organization. They help create a setting where people don’t just work to get paid, but passionately working towards the vision of the organisation and understanding the WHY.

• Consider all employees as equal partners.

Trust is established when even the newest rookie, a part-timer, or the lowest paid employee feels important and part of the team. This begins with management not being aloof, as well as getting out and meeting the troops. This should be followed by leaders seeking opinions and ideas (and giving credit for them), knowing the names of employees and their families and treating one and all with genuine respect.

• Get everyone engaged.

Figure out a way to get all of your employees engaged in planning and decision-making. That way the project becomes their baby: something they are willing to fight for. To do this, whenever possible, ask for input and use their ideas. This way, they have a vested interest in seeing the project succeed. This will not only empower and motivate employees, it can also lead to new and more productive ways of working that normally would be overlooked during more stable times.

• Don’t forget where you come from

As a leader who is charged with the awesome responsibility of directing an entire organization, never lose sight of where you came from. Never forget what it was like when you were in a junior position with the starter salary and a job description. Keeping this in mind will help you to understand the challenges your team faces and how to best put them in a position to succeed.

Leadership is less about what we do and more about what we become—and in the process—how we influence and learn from those around us.