Never Too Early, Never Too Late
Contour Lines 019
I wrote a few days ago about how as a leader you are always being watched, and that if you have children you model how they will learn to interact with the world around them; and the same holds true for the people you lead.
As I played with my kid this morning on the floor of a cluttered kitchen working on spelling, this thought developed further in my mind.
Leading is teaching. And it’s never too early to start.
Whether with your kids, younger friends you serve as a mentor for, or the people you lead, what matters is you are there.
My kid doesn’t know how this will help them down the line. They are just glad to spend time with me.
Your people don’t have to realize you are cultivating their skills and potential. They are just glad you care about their well-being in the moment, especially in the midst of chaos and change.
Don’t spend time trying to be the perfect leader and be absent in the process. Focus on the here, and now.
Teaching is learning. And it’s never too late to start.
Contour Lines is my more personal newsletter segment where I share personal anecdotes and where I’m at in life, and try to find a leadership lesson to share in the moment. I’d love to hear your thoughts and engage in any conversation my words might spark!
This is such an awesome post Chris! I think you kind of explained perfectly in a way how leadership can be scary for some people. Being in charge of a whole group and somehow leading the charge while also trying to build camaraderie can be hard to balance. How do leaders balance that if you don’t mind me asking?