Enlightened leaders are everywhere but so often we miss them because they come disguised. Their disguise might be in their age or physical limitations. Sometimes the disguise is race, religion or marital status. Sometimes the disguise is lack of sophistication or social status. Here are seven ways to identify an enlightened leader.
1. They are wise
2. They build bridges
3. They work from a higher purpose
4. They see what is possible
5. They take action
6. They don’t let reality stop them
7. They inspire us
One such leader is Cassidy Huff a seventh grader who set up an online fundraiser to purchase iPads for special needs children at her school. She did this while recovering from her 33rd surgery to correct a rare dwarfism syndrome she was born with.
What I love about this little girl is her Super Vision. When others said, “We can’t afford it,” or “It’s not in the budget,” she saw another possibility. She took action. She didn’t let perceived limitations including reality–her own or the budget of the school system stop her from leading and living on purpose. She built a bridge for the special needs students by giving them the gift of communication. She is wise beyond her years and if her story doesn’t inspire you, then it must be because you can’t see beyond her disguises.
M
arlene Chism is an executive educator, consultant, and author of Stop Workplace Drama, (Wiley 2011) and No-Drama Leadership (Bibliomotion 2015). She works with executives, and high-performing leaders who want to transform culture in the workplace. To explore opportunities please email marlene@marlenechism.com
