Lessons in Childlike Leadership

Some of our greatest leadership lessons (both good and bad) can be learned from kids. They are innocent and without self-obsession, expressing true human nature. A good friend of mine shared this cute story with me, and I couldn’t resist sharing it with you. Thanks Laurie!

There’s a family in our cul-de-sac that has three kids ages 7, 5, and 3. The mom is intimately involved in their lives and keeps the kids very active. Michael, the oldest child, is a typical first born; he’s confident, a little on the bossy side, and is already showing signs of leadership at his young age. Over the weekend I watched the mom and her three kids riding their bikes down the hill from their house past ours. Michael was way out in front, enjoying the moment of being in the lead and being very vocal about his position.

Just a short while later the family was riding back, this time uphill. Michael stopped his bike to take a break, and his sisters and mom passed him on their way to the top of the hill. Michael yelled out, “I’m the leader! I’m the leader! You need to wait for me. You all know that I’m the leader!” (more…)