“The task of leadership is not to put greatness into humanity, but to elicit it, for the greatness is already there.”
John Buchan wrote and published those words nearly ninety years ago, and I found it on Google a few hours ago. As I was searching for the right words, this quote struck me because I’ve always known that my style of leadership was different, but I never knew exactly how to explain it. This old phrase still ring true to me, its sentiment reaches me even now, and I cannot agree more wholeheartedly with that quote.
In school, leaders were always bosses. They were commanding, persuasive, and outgoing. Large and In-Charge. But me? I was not that kid; I was smart and quiet and observant. I was intuitive since a young age and analyzed
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Those traits are integral pieces making up the core of my very being. When placed in the position of a leader, I put those traits to work. I love making things, and I will use my peers to make the most successful team possible. As Buchan said, the greatness is already there.
As a leader, I shine not because I am fiercely commanding, but because I can cooperate with the unique personalities of my teammates and harness their potentials to best suit the needs of the project. Each person brings something to the table, so I don’t force them out of their comfort zone or make them do what they hate. I find their strong-suit, and I help them use it to the best of their ability. I gauge everyone’s strengths, recognize them, and plan accordingly with their help to ensure everyone is working together and not only doing what they’re best at, but also what they enjoy.
Buchan’s quote explains my quality of leadership perfectly. I don’t need to ‘make’ the people around me great. Rather, I use the greatness within them to succeed. I strongly believe that everyone is unique, and that uniqueness is the same ‘greatness’ that Buchan speaks of. A successful leader isn’t someone who just orders people around and makes others follow them. A truly great leader utilizes the uniqueness of each individual to make the whole team stronger. Those are my principles, and that is my