I know you've heard this one before – "There are two kinds of people in the world…"
For my purposes today those two kinds are Those-That-Make-It-Happen and Those-That-Help-It-Happen.
We all know the Make-It-Happens. At some point in our experiences, we've probably all fallen into this category. We see something that sparks our interest and motivates us. We roll up our sleeves and get to work, usually engaging the Help-It-Happens and then well, we get things done.
Just recently, one of my women's groups talked about this and one member made her feelings very clear. Unless there is some type of discernible activity involved then you weren't living up to your full potential and needed prodding.
Like so many of us, she'd fallen into the trap of comparing. We want the activity we can measure. We love our To-do lists and evaluations. Unless it's visible, we discount the impact. After all, if you can't count off the miles, how do you know you're making progress as a leader?
Is there a place for quiet leadership?
My answer is a resounding YES. Something as simple as really listening to another person provides enormous value to the human experience. One of the consistent responses I get from my coaching clients is how much benefit they derive from simply being heard. It's such a rare commodity in the modern life that it stands out as something unique when we experience it.
How often do we rush ahead, thinking we know the answer without ever really hearing the problem? Often it's not the words being spoken that are most revealing but the body language, the energy in the voice. If we're not paying attention we can miss the almost invisible communication that is crucial to understanding.
How does this qualify as leadership? The act of listening becomes a catalyst. It sets other things into motion. The speaker feels valued and inspired. They usually find their own answers and get into action. That impact began with the listener.
My husband acknowledges this fact whenever I ask him why he's so quiet (usually when I've been holding forth on something I'm passionate about.) His reply is "Someone has to listen." I usually laugh but I also appreciate the wisdom of this answer.
If there were no audience, the music and the play would be incomplete. If there were no readers, the writer's message would be left in limbo. Without an acknowledgement that here was something worth hearing, there would be no encouragement to continue.
So if you're a quiet leader don't let anyone say you're not contributing. Without your (nearly) invisible contribution a lot of great things might not happen.
Aprille Janes is a certified life coach and a champion of women 45+ who long to claim the bigger life they know is waiting! She teaches that the best way to reclaim the Bolder Chick inside of each of us is by connecting to our irresistible core of passion. You can download her free Ebook - Passion, Purpose and Values - at www.aprillejanes.com/ldg_ppv.htm . It's a great place to start your own journey.
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