A Manifesto for Emerging Leaders

Leadership is inspiring and coaching others to be their best selves.

Leadership is capturing other people with energy, words and voice, and rallying them around a central ideology, vision or mission.

Leadership is listening to others and hearing what they’re saying, then asking questions that challenge them to think differently, see new perspectives and gain new insights.

Leadership is about connecting with human beings and encouraging people to trust their gut, pursue their interests and be better than they were before.

Leadership is about taking responsibility for our actions, owning our successes and failures alike, and reminding other people to do the same.

Leadership is about conveying a message of trust, support and guidance, while remaining authentic, empathetic and compassionate.

Leadership is about seeing things from other peoples’ perspectives and remembering that we’re all humans and we’re all in this together, regardless of our status, position or rank in life.

Leadership is about learning and exploring new things, and owning the fact that we do not know everything — and admitting to ourselves that that is truly OK.

Leadership is about expressing gratitude for the things in life we have been given – and have earned – while simultaneously expressing appreciation for the people who have helped us get there. If you can’t recognize the people that have helped you along your way, that’s probably a good place to start searching.

Leadership is about recognizing that we cannot do this alone, and being truly excited to stand side by side and create change with the people who have joined our journeys.

We have but one life, and in the grand scheme of things we are mostly insignificant. It’s up to us to live a life of purpose, meaning and fulfillment, and find ways to connect with other people who are on similar — yet entirely different — journeys.