At the heart of leadership is two dynamics – impact and responsibility.
Impact is the effect that we have on others – our families, communities, the environment, and the world. We are constantly impacting others whether we realize it or not, just as when a pebble is dropped into a peaceful pool of water. When people are striving toward empowering others and creating win-win scenarios that still accomplish the desired goal, they are engaging in positive leadership. When people are only trying to achieve their own objectives, they are engaging in negative or destructive leadership.
What Is Leadership Impact?
Whether you see yourself as a leader or not, you are having an impact on the world. Your every breath, movement, word, interaction, and every thought have an impact on something or someone else.
Everything we do has varying degrees of impact. Sometimes the impact is seemingly small and goes unnoticed. Much like an employee who is committed to getting the work done, taking the time to tell a child a story, throwing your litter out the car window, or volunteering your time at a senior citizen home – all these actions have an impact.
Sometimes impact is extreme, such as the loss of a loved one, a dispute with your business partner, two countries waging war, or a company-wide layoff.
Regardless of your leadership role, you have a responsibility to notice your impact, and then to adjust your leadership style and influence as needed. This is the leadership role that we are all called to accept.