To transform our lives and make a real lasting change, we need to move from mediocrity to greatness; from aiming at good to not accepting less than excellence; from making a living to not settling for less than what we can be, have or do and this is all about Leadership. Many of us, however, associate mistakenly leadership with being the president or CEO of a company, organization, group or a country. So what is leadership really?!

Leadership is an attitude. Leadership is responsibility. Leadership is influence. Leadership is inspiration. Leadership thus is  about everyone: you, me, a mother, a father, a teacher, a student, an employee, a manager, a driver, even a child. Leadership is realizing that we are influencing people around us every single moment, whether we like it or not. The key question though is: are we a good influence or a bad influence? Are we inspiring everyone around us to be and do their best or do we drag them down? Are we setting the example by being a role model or illustrating how someone can play at best the role of the victim?

Leadership is not about positions, neither stars on shoulders nor titles. It is not about being the head, the president, or the CEO. It is not about dragging people behind like “sheep”, because true leaders don’t see anyone as sheep. They only see every human being at their best, even when the latter don’t and can’t realize this. They see every human being as great and extraordinary, with unlimited potential. Leadership is not about being authoritarian, not about the carrot and the stick.

Leadership is about not expecting someone to come and save us from whatever we are challenged with in life, but to be responsible, to take action and make the change ourselves, whether by changing our attitude or our action. Leadership is about not complaining or blaming your parents, your teachers, your bosses, your company or the economy and the political system. Leadership is about standing up and taking ownership by saying I AM responsible for what I have or haven’t done. Leadership is about waking up from the “it is not my fault” old story. It is about getting rid of all these excuses that harm no one, but us, because they can imprison us forever and they are truly our only limitation.

Leadership is in every one of us, even when we are just walking on the street, eating at home or playing a game with friends. And yes, everyone IS and CAN BE a leader. So whatever you are; an adult or a child, a mother or a father, a brother or a sister, a teacher or student, a manager or a labourer; be the shining example of what an excellent human being can be. BE A LEADER.