I’m on holiday in Switzerland. Somehow I got it into my head that I wanted to work on my next leadership communication book and hike in the Swiss Alps. While I will hike on occasion, I don’t really think of myself as a hiker. I don’t shop at REI. I don’t own the right gear like poles or weatherproof clothing. I don’t even own a proper hat (as my very sunburned nose will attest) and my backpack was purchased for form, not function.
It’s day 2 of my time in Grindelwald, Switzerland. Yesterday I took a hike rated “easy” (lies, all lies) and today I opted to do the same. After taking the gondola to the Bort station I began my 2 hr “walk,” as the Swiss like to call it, to Bussalp. About 15 minutes in and in the midst of a steep incline I stopped (hiking at that altitude is hard!) I was gasping for air and could hear my heart pounding. I thought to myself “Pamela, you are not a hiker! This is ridiculous! It’s going to rain! Turn around, get back on the gondola, and give it up. You are not a hiker!!”
And then I thought, “does owning hiking poles make one a hiker? No. Does having great hiking boots make one a hiker? No. What makes a hiker? Someone who hikes!” And what was I doing? I was hiking! I must be a hiker!! I turned up the hill and continued on.
How about you? Have you ever said to yourself “Im not a leader?” Have you ever thought because you don’t have the office or the title that you aren’t a leader?
What does a leader do? A leader leads. A leader is someone who sets an example. A leader supports others. A leader helps others to be their best. A leader has character and acts accordingly. It’s not about the “gear” it’s about action. What does a leader do? A leader leads.
How will you lead today?