Self-awareness
Courage
Integrity
Self-management
Resilience
Patience
Adaptability
Accountability
Emotional Intelligence
Prioritization
Empathy
Communication
Influence
Collaboration
Love
Conflict resolution
Decision-making
Problem-solving
Critical thinking
Vision-setting
Creativity
Inspiration
Mentoring
Giving/receiving feedback

Gold star in humor if you said: “They’re all words in the English language.” That is true! 
They’re also all leadership skills. Let’s get clear on the two types of leadership we’re talking about: titles and skills.

• Big “L” Leadership: Having a title and using these skills to guide others & organizations. Think C-suiters, executives, business owners.
• Small “l” leadership: Using these skills to lead yourself, navigate your work, relationships, and daily choices. No title required.
• Small “l” leadership is about knowing what matters to you and acting on it.

Here are a few examples of small “l” leadership out in the wild:

1. Balancing freedom and responsibility:
   You’re working multiple jobs because it gives you flexibility and the income needed to live and do what you want. But lately you notice you’re burning out. “What’s all this for anyways?”  This is about self-management. Knowing you value freedom, you might commit to one or two priorities instead of three or more. Self leadership here is knowing freedom and self-regulation can coexist… paradoxically, they need each other.
   
2. Handling messiness at work:
   A co-worker keeps dropping balls, your boss doesn’t intervene or start juggling, and your resentment builds as your court is overflowing. How can you possibly take on one more thing.  You’re over it.  Eventually you choose to stop talking to everyone. That’ll show em!  This is underuse of courage, communication, feedback, and conflict resolution. Avoiding the problem lets it consume you, maybe even at home. And before spiraling into overtaking your priority of being present for your family, consider that leadership here means choosing courage to use your voice, to ask for what you need, then you may be able to resolve the situation.  Messiness and problem solving coexist.
   
3. Living with integrity in social situations:
   You’re at lunch, and a friend launches into a passionate critique of someone else’s mac n’ cheese recipe. Velveeta? Sacrilege. Elbows instead of penne? Unforgivable. The debate escalates so much that all the servers get involved. You leave feeling drained and slightly traumatized, wondering how you went from discussing an inspiring Adam Grant podcast to a full-blown pasta judgment session.  Leadership here is about choosing responsibility for your actions: instead of joining the roast, you might redirect the conversation, hold your integrity, or suggest your friend speak directly to the person instead of about them. (Pro tip: this works for mac n’ cheese and any other random hill your friend wants to die on.)

Leadership is:
A practice.  Choosing to take on the responsibility to act when you have goals, see potential… in yourself, in situations, and in others and having the courage to grow it.

I believe in leadership because it’s not just about titles. It’s everywhere. And it’s for everyone.  It’s about showing up in our professional and personal lives, and in our community. It’s about choosing responsibility when it’s easier to look away, speaking courageously when silence would be simpler, and acting with integrity even when no one is watching. Every time you manage yourself, navigate a messy situation, or redirect a lunch conversation away from mac n’ cheese, you’re practicing leadership. I care about this work deeply: because if we’re all practicing leadership then we all grow, create positive change, and make our corner of the world a little better.  One brave, small act at a time.