LEAD or BE LED

How do you determine if you are leading or being led? I think a good leader needs to know how to make such a determination in order to be effective. I posed a few questions on the subject to the Ambassadors and a few close friends. I received the following from Rose Caplan, and thought I’d share them with you:

Rose: In a nut shell I believe in order to be successful a person has to lead and be led. You couldn’t be more clear that you are being led to empower Black males to lead and transform Atlanta by God.

CJ: How would you describe Atlanta in 20 words or less?

Rose: Bedrock of civil rights leadership and as diverse in its citizenry as it is in the economic disparity among them.

CJ: What are three strong indicators that someone is leading in Atlanta?

Rose:

· They are having ongoing success in implementing and attaining the mission and vision of the organization.
They experience ongoing development of close relationships based on mutual respect and trust where both leader and the led learn and grow toward the same goal.
There is an willingness to collaborate with others at higher levels success and influence.

CJ: What are three strong indicators that someone is (not leading) being led in Atlanta?

Rose:

· Their actions, words, and decisions are ignored, not listened to or followed.
Relationships with others on their team are superficial, lack collaboration, are a one-way street, absent the give and take of new ideas. They make decisions and take actions in isolation without benefit of input and learning from others on their team.
They are unwilling to be led themselves.

Rose: Finally, here is a quote I like: If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. ~John Quincy Adams

I welcome your comments and thoughts as well. What criteria would you use to determine if you are leading or being led?

Rose Caplan and I at the 2015 L.E.A.D. Ambassador Signing Day