Unveiling the Power of Everyday Leadership

"Leadership is not about being in charge. It's about taking care of those in your charge." - Simon Sinek

Who comes to your mind when you hear the word "leader"? 

Is it corporate executives, global organisation managers, or administrators and supervisors?

Leadership is commonly portrayed in the limelight, with literature, essays, and training initiatives frequently spotlighting conventional images of effective leaders.

However, the reality is that leadership is frequently carried out inconspicuously by ordinary leaders within households, schools, and communities.

Everyday leadership is a concept that refers to the leadership qualities and competencies that individuals display in their daily lives, regardless of their formal position or title.

According to research conducted by the Center for Creative Leadership, everyday leaders are found in schools, homes, and communities and face complex daily challenges.

Greta Thunberg was a 15-year-old student in Sweden when she started advocating for environmental responsibility and action. She took action by sailing to North America to speak at the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit. Through this act of everyday leadership, she has become a recognised representative of the environmental movement, named Time magazine’s “Person of the Year” and nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. 

The student survivors of the shooting at Marjory Douglas Stoneman High School in Parkland, Florida, who spoke out and marched for gun control, are examples of everyday leaders.

Leaders are people who, in connection with others, accomplish the tasks of setting direction, building commitment, and creating alignment.

The question is: How can everyday leaders display these outcomes of everyday leadership?

An adept leader's initial responsibility is establishing direction, encompassing the clear expression of mission, vision, values, and objectives. Leaders often ponder questions such as "Where is our destination? What actions will we take? And what motivates our efforts?"

The second crucial duty involves fostering commitment by cultivating mutual trust and accountability. Leaders address inquiries like "How do we maintain unity? How can we enhance group collaboration?"

A final pivotal task is forging alignment, where effective leaders strive for a common understanding and synchronised actions. This ability isn't exclusive to corporate executives; everyday leaders can achieve it as well.

Additionally, studies have shown that engaging leadership, a key aspect of everyday leadership, promotes fulfilling employees' basic needs for competence, relatedness, and autonomy. This leads to increased work engagement and positive job outcomes at individual and team levels. Furthermore, research suggests that need-supportive leadership training can increase managers' and employees' perception of autonomy, competence, and relatedness support, ultimately benefiting organisational well-being

In a Workshop with the Leaders at Honasa Consumer.

Benefits of Everyday Leadership

Everyday leadership can benefit individuals and organisations in several ways, including:

1. Personal Growth: Developing everyday leadership skills can lead to personal growth, empowerment, and a sense of making a positive impact on others

2. Improved Employee Engagement: Everyday leadership can boost productivity, work quality, and employee morale, reducing turnover and creating a positive work environment.

3. Innovation and Continuous Improvement: Everyday leadership fosters innovation and continuous improvement, encouraging individuals to think outside the box, take calculated risks, and embrace change as a catalyst for growth and progress.

4. Shared Vision: Everyday leadership encourages individuals to work together toward one shared vision, fostering better connection, communication, and community within an organisation.

5. Cost Savings: Organisations spend less on training, recruiting, and onboarding when employees feel appreciated and are trusted to make important decisions that contribute to their company's success.

6. Positive Impact on Others: Everyday leadership empowers individuals to take charge of their lives and positively impact others, contributing to overall societal well-being.

   
   

Research by Psychology Today reveals that the people around us have a stronger influence on our decisions and actions than we realise, emphasising the importance of understanding our networks' gravitational force

Role of Organisations in Encouraging Everyday Leadership

Organisations can encourage everyday leadership among employees by fostering a culture that values and promotes leadership at all levels. This can be achieved by:

1. Promoting Open Communication: Encouraging employees to listen to the concerns of their peers and share their thoughts and feelings.

2. Empowering Employees: Providing opportunities for employees to take charge of their work, make decisions, and take ownership of their actions, which instils a sense of empowerment and personal growth.

3. Recognising and Rewarding Leadership Behaviours: Acknowledging and rewarding employees who demonstrate everyday leadership qualities, regardless of their formal title or authority.

4. Providing Training and Development: Offering training programs focusing on leadership skills, communication, and conflict resolution to help employees develop and enhance their leadership abilities.

5. Setting a Shared Vision: Encouraging employees to perform their day-to-day tasks while keeping an eye on the company’s guiding vision and working together toward one shared vision.

   
   

By implementing these strategies, organisations can create an environment where everyday leadership is cultivated and valued, leading to improved employee engagement, innovation, and overall organisational success.

Therefore, leadership is not solely the realm of corporate executives and global influencers. Everyday leaders play a pivotal role in shaping our lives, setting direction, building commitment, and creating alignment in their respective spheres. Their impact, though subtle, is the heartbeat of a thriving and harmonious society.

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We help organisations build a culture of high performance driven by Everyday Leaders. In case this is of interest, let's connect over a call.