Leadership

Gun's Quote-of-the-Week:

“Leadership… is helping others be the best they are capable of being.”
-Kelly King

I really wanted to come up with a good quote this week revolving around Leadership because I was going to be at Boys State this Week.

The American Legion Missouri Boys State Program has been a part of my life for 10 years. It is a civic leadership program for soon-to-be-Senior boys around the state of Missouri. (The week after is Girl’s State) Each year in June, these young men come together to create their own “State” by forming “Cities” with City Council, Mayors and yes, even firemen. Positions are elected all the way up to Governor.

The program has a deep-rooted place in my heart, having directly changed my life and its outlook. It was empowering. It was eye-opening. It was inspiring. So, every year in June, I come back to give back.

So, like I said, I wanted to come up with a good quote for leadership because I wanted to articulate why Boys State means so much to me. My perspective on leadership changed that year from someone who is in charge to someone who is in charge of empowering. It’s one thing to bark orders. It is a totally different one to enable someone else to make their own orders.

Thankfully, at our general assembly tonight, our keynote speaker gave me such a quote at the 11th hour. Dodged a bullet I guess.

I feel like I run into a lot of people who want to be “in charge.” They want to be on the top, perhaps seeking to have dominion over others. They want to give the directions and don’t want to be told what to do. In fact, and with teenagers especially, the idea of wanting a leadership role is desired from the false impression that somehow being a leader means that you don’t have a boss.

Real leadership, as our keynote speaker suggests, is putting others ahead of you. It is desiring that the people around you accelerate past you, and pushing them to be better than you and better than themselves.

So, during this week, 150+ volunteer staff members show up to do just that: push these men to be better than we are and better than they think they are. It is an honor and privilege to work with such a selfless and dedicated staff that is so eminent in each member’s respective fields. To be counted among them is a lifelong honor. I am surrounded by so many that are so much better than I, and I am tickled to death every time I get that E-Mail inviting me back; it’s almost surreal. With as talented and dedicated as the staff is, though, perhaps the most prestigious thing about the group is that the group wants the citizens to be better than they are.

So if you are ever in a situation where you are called to lead, remember your responsibility. You are not barking orders. You are making people better.

…and that’s why it’s a Gun’s Quote!