L-E-A-D-E-R-S-H-I-P
There are three areas that we constantly talk about in Lionism: Leadership, Membership and Service. These areas of focus are ingrained in everything that we do just take a look at our Global Action Team. What are the three positions that we appoint? Global Leadership Team, Global Membership Team and Global Service Team.
We appoint someone to each of these positions on a multiple district and a district level so I thought that with so much emphasis being placed on these areas maybe it would be interesting to explore each area as an acronym. This of course is my interpretation of each.
I felt that starting with Leadership was appropriate with several positions throughout the multiple district committees and also on the district level are currently open. Hopefully someone will be inspired to step up and take o none of these roles.
L – Listen to your fellow Lions. We can always learn from those around us, including our direct reports. Effective listening gives you knowledge and perspectives that increase your leadership capacity. Being open to feedback and new ideas from your fellow Lions helps you learn and grow as a leader
E – Engage with your fellow Lions by doing so it energizes others and keeps people focused on purpose and vision with contagious positivity
A – Aspire your club members and other Lions to achieve something greater. Aspire them to grow their leadership depth, assess how they can lead more effectively in career services today, and explore what it takes to advance.
D – Develop hopes and dreams among Lions throughout the multiple district
E – Empathize with others as you engage and develop their skills. People will trust leaders and feel a greater sense of engagement and commitment when there is alignment between what the leader says and does. All that understanding of someone’s situation should turn into compassion and action. Empathy in action is understanding a person’s struggles and offering to help. It is appreciating a person’s point of view and engaging in a healthy debate that builds to a better solution
R – Respect your fellow Lions. We must as leaders recognize the inherent worth and value of the other person, and honor that inherent worthiness in our words, actions and behaviors
S – Serve your fellow Lions their success is also your success. Pitch in and do the work alongside others. Lead by example.
H – Humble. Be so in everything that you do it shifts attention away from you and focuses on the contributions and needs of those around you.
I – Integrity is essential. Integrity is being honest, trustworthy, and reliable. Leaders with integrity act in accordance with their words (i.e. they practice what they preach) and own up to their mistakes, as opposed to hiding them, blaming their team, or making excuses.
P – Passion for and Pride in work. True leaders have the innate ability to motivate others to achieve better results. Leading with a passion is what separates great leaders from the “wannabees.”
So how do you inspire your fellow Lions to deliver superior results? To inspire passion in others; you must first be passionate yourself. People follow someone who is passionate versus someone who is just going through the motions. First, believe in what you’re doing and that conviction will spread. You can’t ignite passion with a wet match.
Next month I will delve into Membership.
Council Chair Bob Chaney