I have recently received the honor of being elected as president of a state board that works on issues related to mental illness. This will be for 2018, and I am looking forward to collaborating with many people to help with education, support, and advocacy around mental illness. The great news is that there is a lot of momentum and passion, and I can’t wait to see what progress we make in the coming year.
That being said, I am now a formalized “leader”. What exactly does it mean to be a leader? What exactly is leadership in the first place? There are definitions out here, but I think leadership is defined by each individual. To me, leadership is about setting an example and creating a vision. It is about speaking up and asking questions. Essentially, to me, everyone is a leader, whether it is a formalized position or not. In my book, anyone who tries to persuade or guide or work with anyone is a leader. And, I think it is safe to say that most of us fit that activity.
Broad definitions aside, I am spending some more time reflecting on my formalized role. What exactly do I envision for the organization? What examples do I want to set? How do I want to speak out more for mental health issues? How can I make more connections so I can ask more questions and work on more solutions? There is a lot of work to be done, and my hope is that by reflecting on these questions I will be better able to lead in the next year.
How about you? In what ways (formal or informal) are you a leader? What does being a leader mean to you? How can you better exemplify what you think it means to be a leader? I think these are some great questions to consider as you reflect on how you are a leader.