This article is written by Victoria Camp, Project Director at Local Partnerships.

  • The problem: There is so much research and published material on being a good leader, and yet not much seems to tick all the boxes.
  • Why it matters: We need inspirational people around us to face the challenges we have today, and we need people focused on the right things for the right reasons.
  • The solution: Swap leadership manuals for a focus on being a decent human being.

Is anyone else slightly overwhelmed by the amount of writing, social media, research and articles aimed towards being a great leader, or even a great manager? Actually, I used the wrong word, I’m not overwhelmed, I’m just sick and tired of it – who’s with me?

When I look around my life both professionally and personally, I don’t categorise people into great leaders, or great managers. Instead I think, yes, my last work had great team spirit and a really supportive, loving feel, and my son is being taught by a patient and caring person, the school principal is an inspirational innovator.

Some of these people are leaders, some are managers, some educators, parents, wives, sons and daughters, and that’s more important to me than if they have read the latest leadership manual.

I’m proposing we forget the labels and instead focus on reading about people who inspire us, great people no matter the job they hold.

Our world is complicated, it’s wicked and we need so many tools in our box no matter what stage of life we might be in. I am sure we have all followed people who would not call themselves leaders, and similarly, I’ve been made to follow those who were not good human beings. Something doesn’t add up.

So many of us have job titles which do not include the word ‘leader’ or ‘manager’ and so feel excluded from this club, or worse still, feel we cannot demonstrate these qualities in our current position. I’m proposing we forget the labels and instead focus on reading about people who inspire us, great people no matter the job they hold. Think about the mark you want to leave on people and this world by your actions and your words, think about love for your fellow human being who turns up day in, day out, no matter the weather or current global situation.

My aim for next year is to focus on one thing and one thing only, to focus on being a good human being. I am also going to source my inspiration from people who demonstrate qualities which I aspire to regardless of what job title they may have, and so I’ve tried to think about what some of those qualities are for me. Your list might be different to mine and I’ve created mine by thinking about the people around me who I admire and what qualities they have in common. They are also areas for me to improve on and not so I can get a promotion, but also so I can be a better contributor to the planet and my fellow people.

  • Be joyful – there is much to despair of from the past few years for all of us, and for many people, the situation is far worse. Choose to spend your time with people who try to find the joy in life no matter the circumstance. People who smile or who show kindness even when they themselves are experiencing darkness.
  • Be inquisitive – one of our greatest qualities is our adaptability. If I think of the people I admire, they always look for opportunities to learn, grow, improve, evaluate and reflect. Those who look for opportunities to learn are often naturally more open-minded, less judgemental and more aware of using our differences to bring us together – they aim to unite, not divide. Another of the most common grievances I hear about leadership in any organisation is “they don't make time for us”. So I'm looking for the people who make real time for others in spite of busy schedules and competing priorities. Being available and interested makes all the difference.
  • Be part of something – probably my biggest criticism of “leaders” is that they often rise to the top and then spend time differentiating themselves from everyone else whilst trying to still sound like they are part of the team. It doesn’t matter what, but find a thing to be part of and commit to it. I’m part of my family, and I’m part of communities which are based on common interests or experiences. It doesn’t matter if you aren’t leading the group, or chairing the meeting, by being part of something bigger than you, there is a constant reminder that you are one small part of a much bigger whole.

We are facing generational issues which none of us can solve in isolation; climate change, Covid-19 recovery, global political instability, the emerging fuel crisis and a fundamental change in how people want to interact with democracy.

The leaders we have might not be the ones to help shepherd in the changes we need and maybe, that is because they are too focused on what being a good leader looks like instead of remembering that before that, they are human first.

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(Image Credit: Unsplash)