Leadership has been written about since humans have been writing and recording history. How leaders have been described, documented and chronicled over our existence here on Earth, comes back to the definition of leadership: noun, the act or instance of leading - the office or position of a leader.
The leader and the characteristics of a particular person, are typically what is written about to document someone who is in a position of leadership. It may start as an oldest sibling, leading younger sisters or brothers when Mother or Father is not around, or even deceased.
It may have all started in a school or church group, or as camp counselor, President of that social group, and then someday even also as a Mother or Father. Leaders and leadership have so many facets and is in many cases just present, or absent in someone's life.
Over history, the definition of a person who has been or is a current leader, has several synonyms:
Synonyms boss man, captain, chief, foreman, head, headman, helmsman, honcho, jefe, kingpin, boss, master, taskmaster
In the broad and complex world we live in, these synonyms only describe a small facet of what true leadership is all about. The vast realm of Operational Risk Management (ORM) also gives us additional context, when it comes to true leadership and the goal of ever increasing our overall safety, security and trust.
When someone writes your eulogy as an Operational Risk Leader, what will they say. How will they describe you? Perhaps none of the synonyms above are even mentioned. Why?
It is because you are known as a "Quiet Professional." Someone who is a leader and continues to exemplify the act of leading in so many ways and far too detailed to describe in words. Yet you continue to aspire to improve, to listen, to learn. You don't know it yet, but at your eulogy, others will describe you as a "Quiet Professional."
The "Quiet Professional" operates through life serving others, doing their best to continuously learn and improve on their greatest skills. Yet at the same time, the true leader also recognizes the areas of knowledge and expertise they don't possess and so they will create alliances with others who do.
The small group, the team, the cohort, the class, the board, the executive office, the assembly, the country - they have a combination of leaders who are diverse in their skills, knowledge and aspirations and yet simultaneously, they have the same single mission.
How others will describe you and your leadership at your eulogy, is completely in your control as a human. What are the characteristics of your particular way of leading and operating as a "Quiet Professional (QP)?" Maybe it will sound like this:
QP was a person that not many people knew very well and that was just fine with them. QP worked on becoming and performing each day, as the best they could be, with each person they encountered in life, one-to-one. As a brother or sister, as a mother or father, as a friend and servant leader of others.
QP was always watching out for others. Looking around the corner or over the horizon. It was for three reasons. Curiosity, building trust and continuous learning. It was because QP always wanted to improve and to aspire for that next level of perfection. QP wanted others close to them to feel safe and secure.
QP wanted others to feel as if they could do anything and could achieve anything. What ever their particular mission was that day, month or year. QP wanted those closest to them to know, they were always going to be cared for and looked after, no matter what happened.
QP will always be remembered for their kind heart and tremendous courage. QP will be remembered for their fierce competitiveness and simultaneous compassion. They will be remembered for their ability to love. Their ability to forgive. And QP will always be remembered for their leadership.
Are you a "Quiet Professional"?...
The leader and the characteristics of a particular person, are typically what is written about to document someone who is in a position of leadership. It may start as an oldest sibling, leading younger sisters or brothers when Mother or Father is not around, or even deceased.
It may have all started in a school or church group, or as camp counselor, President of that social group, and then someday even also as a Mother or Father. Leaders and leadership have so many facets and is in many cases just present, or absent in someone's life.
Over history, the definition of a person who has been or is a current leader, has several synonyms:
Synonyms boss man, captain, chief, foreman, head, headman, helmsman, honcho, jefe, kingpin, boss, master, taskmaster
In the broad and complex world we live in, these synonyms only describe a small facet of what true leadership is all about. The vast realm of Operational Risk Management (ORM) also gives us additional context, when it comes to true leadership and the goal of ever increasing our overall safety, security and trust.
When someone writes your eulogy as an Operational Risk Leader, what will they say. How will they describe you? Perhaps none of the synonyms above are even mentioned. Why?
It is because you are known as a "Quiet Professional." Someone who is a leader and continues to exemplify the act of leading in so many ways and far too detailed to describe in words. Yet you continue to aspire to improve, to listen, to learn. You don't know it yet, but at your eulogy, others will describe you as a "Quiet Professional."
The "Quiet Professional" operates through life serving others, doing their best to continuously learn and improve on their greatest skills. Yet at the same time, the true leader also recognizes the areas of knowledge and expertise they don't possess and so they will create alliances with others who do.
The small group, the team, the cohort, the class, the board, the executive office, the assembly, the country - they have a combination of leaders who are diverse in their skills, knowledge and aspirations and yet simultaneously, they have the same single mission.
How others will describe you and your leadership at your eulogy, is completely in your control as a human. What are the characteristics of your particular way of leading and operating as a "Quiet Professional (QP)?" Maybe it will sound like this:
QP was a person that not many people knew very well and that was just fine with them. QP worked on becoming and performing each day, as the best they could be, with each person they encountered in life, one-to-one. As a brother or sister, as a mother or father, as a friend and servant leader of others.
QP was always watching out for others. Looking around the corner or over the horizon. It was for three reasons. Curiosity, building trust and continuous learning. It was because QP always wanted to improve and to aspire for that next level of perfection. QP wanted others close to them to feel safe and secure.
QP wanted others to feel as if they could do anything and could achieve anything. What ever their particular mission was that day, month or year. QP wanted those closest to them to know, they were always going to be cared for and looked after, no matter what happened.
QP will always be remembered for their kind heart and tremendous courage. QP will be remembered for their fierce competitiveness and simultaneous compassion. They will be remembered for their ability to love. Their ability to forgive. And QP will always be remembered for their leadership.
Are you a "Quiet Professional"?...
