Am I a Leader?

"I never thought of myself as a leader but as I turned around, there were people following me. When did that happen? How did it happen? What do I do now?" I've heard this a few times from folks and have even felt aspects of it myself. Often times we misunderstand leadership; what it means, how it happens, and why people do it.

We are leaders not because there are followers but because we are in pursuit of something greater and helping others to aim at it. We have a vision — an image of something more than what is right now. It's our ability to paint that picture, the vision, and align the perspectives such that we are all traveling in the same direction. It's our willingness to strive for more and to bear the weight, the cost, and sometimes even the ridicule of giving life to that image. That's what makes us leaders. Not the title. Or, at least, not the title alone.