Today’s guest post is from Doretha Walker. Doretha is past president of the Charleston, SC Center for Women and blogs at Wecanflyhigher.blogspot.com. She provides inspiration and information to support women so they can fly to success.
There are times we, as leaders, need to sit back and be led by allowing others to lead.
The other day I had a meeting with a placement agency. Both the young men seemed professional and knowledgeable, yet the first thing I thought of was that I probably had more skills, experiences, and knowledge than both of them put together.
However, in this situation I was not in control and needed to be led.
Needing to be led is new
Needing to be led is a new thing for me.
It has probably happened to me many times, but in my new role as not having a full-time job, I am noticing it more. And it feels a bit strange and yet comforting. It is nice to be able to run my dominant nature off for time to time so I can recharge it for later.
I will admit that it is also uncomfortable because I am not at the head of the line leading myself to greater employment. I (as wonderfully highly skilled and educated as those young men told me I was) am in need of help navigating the employment jungle.
I will admit that I have not turned my future employment possibilities completely over to them. I am still networking, following my own leads, and sending out resumes. I have to. It is nice having an ally, but the leader in me wants to lead me. And I think that is healthy and productive.
After all, it is my life we are talking about.
Rely on your own strength of body and soul. Take for your star self-reliance, faith, honesty and industry. Don’t take too much advice — keep at the helm and steer your own ship, and remember that the great art of commanding is to take a fair share of the work. Fire above the mark you intend to hit. Energy, invincible determination with the right motive, are the levers that move the world. ~Noah Porter
Being led is not a bad thing. In fact it humbled me by reminding me that there is no way I can know everything or everyone and protocols often change without warning.
A true leader adapts and relinquishes command for the betterment of the cause.
The cause at the placement agency was me.
He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander. ~Aristotle
Image source before quote: morgueFile.com
