It’s not leading because it’s easy…

Leadership is scarce because few people are willing to go through the discomfort required to lead.

Once again, Seth Godin crystallizes the truth in his book “Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us“.

Up until a few years ago, I believed that leaders were born.  There was some innate talent or drive or karmic force that caused one person to be a leader and the other not.

I observed children growing up and watched some of them emerge as leaders.

In groups, I observed how people would automatically gravitate to my friend for direction, often looking right through me to get to her.

But as I have been growing, I have come to a new understanding, one that reflects what Seth Godin describes.

Leaders Choose to Let Themselves Lead

While some people are more inclined to be leaders because of facets of their personality, no one is excluded.  The only requirements for leadership are vision and a willingness to be uncomfortable.

This summer has been a crash course in leadership.  I began a masters level class called Renegade Breakthrough Mentoring Program with Ann Sieg.  And I set my goal to stop running my business like a shy, wallflower, hugging the wall at a party while everyone else gets up to dance.

I began blogging and reaching out to people.

I stepped up my commitment to Dane Buy Local, a business group I’m a part of.

And from taking the risk to stand out, I have been welcomed as a leader.

I won’t discount how uncomfortable it can be.  To be a leader I have had to face everything that Seth lists:

It’s uncomfortable to stand up in front of strangers.
It’s uncomfortable to propose an idea that might fail.
It’s uncomfortable to challenge the status quo.
It’s uncomfortable to resist the urge to settle.

My summer has been filled with anxiety and niggling self-doubts.  I leaned into all the places that caused me pain.

But in the end, I have found key positions in projects and am finding my place in Ann Sieg’s  organization.  I’m finding my voice and my vision with internet marketing.  And I’m refusing to compromise.

Leadership is not easy.  Decide to ignore the pit in your stomach, and start taking risks.

Sometimes someone comes along who captures the essence of a moment–someone who distills the moment to its essential core.  This is the talent that is the unique voice of Ukrainian artist Kseniya Simonova.  Kseniya uses a big light box and draws in sand to tell the story of Germany’s invasion and occupation of the Ukraine during WWII.  She does it beautifully and dramatically.  She is artist, dancer, historian and storyteller.  This video is her winning performance in Ukraine’s version of “America’s Got Talent.”

Kseniya shares her unique voice when she draws in the sand. She takes an experience shared by many, the memories of WWII, and wraps them in her own artistry.  Because she is so raw, so authentic, and yes, so skilled in her presentation, she gives us all a deeper understanding of our shared memories.

As business owners, we must share our unique voice as well.  We must take a common experience, and wrap it in our own understanding to bring people deeper to what can help them.  Bringing ourselves into our business makes us unique.

I’m reminded of my friend, Jodi Barnhart.  Jodi has unique story to tell about how her heart was beating so fast because of stress that you could see her clothes move on her chest.  Imagine–her blouse was fluttering to her heartbeat.  She would carry a folder in front of her chest to cover it up.  Her doctors couldn’t believe that her heart could continue day after day at such staggering rates.  Later, she learned to regulate her heartbeat through nutrition, and now she is determined to help others with the same condition.

And I can’t help but flash on the image of her blouse moving to her racing heart.

That image is Jodi’s unique voice.  Her story captures the essential core of what it is to live with a racing heart.

And her story is what will move others to seek the help they need from her.

Find your unique voice, your sand drawing, and you will be free to help the people you want to serve.