Eric Camp for MS House District 111

16 Easy Ways to Know You’re Not a Leader

1. You’re waiting on a bigger staff and more money to accomplish your vision.
2. You think you need to be in charge to have influence.
3. You’re content.
4. You tend to foster division instead of generating a helpful dialogue.
5. You think you need to say something to be heard.
6. You find it easier to blame others for your circumstances than to take responsibility for solutions.
7. It’s been some time since you said, “I messed up.”
8. You’re driven by the task instead of the relationships and the vision.
9. Your dreams are so small, people think they can be achieved.
10. No one is following you.
11. You always have an excuse to justify mistakes.
12. You have to be the only one talking all the time. #LeadersListen
13. Procrastination is your middle name!
14. You get “too busy” to complete assigned projects and deadlines. #LeadersMakeItHappen
15. Passion is the name of a fruit to you. #LeadersArePassionate
16. You do just enough to get by. #LeadersGoTheExtraMile

There are leaders, and then there are real leaders. Some leaders think of themselves as leaders because they have a title. Others don’t need a title. They understand that leadership is really about influence anchored in integrity and humility.

You don’t need to wait for someone to give you a position and a private office to lead. If you want to be a leader in the future, start acting like a leader today.

How will you invest your influence?