Atlantic Philanthropies Program Officer Stacey Easterling recently spoke about the responsibility, joys and burdens of true leadership at the 2010 ASA/NCOA Aging in America Conference in Chicago. Atlantic Philanthropies is a major sponsor of the Direct Care Alliance, and we’re very grateful for their support. Enjoy the video and text excerpt from her presentation, below.
Leadership is about having the courage to face your demons every day—whether its public speaking or making a difficult decision or making a mistake—in order to learn and grow from it. Leadership is being able to accept the fact that although you will try to do everything perfectly all the time, you will not, and being OK with that. Being a leader is learning from those mistakes and dusting yourself off after the fall and getting right back on the horse.
Stacey Easterling
Jesse Jackson has a wonderful quote about leaders:
Leaders must be tough enough to fight, tender enough to cry, human enough to make mistakes, humble enough to admit them, strong enough to absorb the pain, and resilient enough to bounce back and keep on moving.
You must lead. YOU must now be mentors and advisors to others who are on the path. Stand proud on the shoulders of those who came before you and extend your hand out to bring another with you. Don’t wait to be asked. Impose yourself on others. They’ll thank you later!
There’s no turning back now—-It’s about continuing to learn, continuing to improve, continuing to grow. I don’t know if you ever really stop growing as a leader. Leadership development is a dynamic process, a road you should always stay on moving forward. There is a secret that we’ll let you in on—a good leader is never really done. They are always trying to find ways to get better.
For you and me, the good news from leadership experts is that leaders are often born but they can also be made.
In closing this letter, I found a very cool quote to leave you with:
Leadership and success begins on the extra mile. Those among us who craft extraordinary careers and spectacular lives are those who spend most of their time giving their best out on the extra mile. Yes, ordinary people don’t, but who ever said you were ordinary?”
I look forward to seeing each of you on the journey taking that extra mile.
Leadership is one of those words that we all find appealing and so it is often used. But, not everyone understands the true and clearly sacrificial nature of true leadership. This speech gets to the core of what leadership really means. I love Jesse’s quote because it neatly captures the dimensions of true leadership:
“Leaders must be tough enough to fight, tender enough to cry, human enough to make mistakes, humble enough to admit them, strong enough to absorb the pain, and resilient enough to bounce back and keep on moving.” So true!
Very well stated Stacey. My concern is for those leaders who were promoted from within. They are often more comfortable doing what they were doing before rather than “facing the demons” of leadership. Consquently they will slowly but surely slide back into old habits, priorities and ways of doing things, only now they earn a little more money. Organizations need to more proactively support the changes that these front line supervisors need to make. Check out the Human Services Supervisors group on LinkedIn
Thank you Stacey for that wonderful description of leadership. I totally agree that true leaders never stop learning. The DCA had sent me to the Midwest Acadamy for Organizing for Social Change. This was before we started the Voices Institute. What an amazing week that was, and so much information was given. Through the years I have taken seminars on different leadership roles. There was one common theme that I try to do- Take everything I have learned and bring it back to others within the organization- train the leaders to pass it on to others. I am very excited to continue to learn and utilize the skills I have been given to help the DCA help my peers. Thank you for all of your support.
Larry, very insightful comment. This is true particularly in our field where leaders face many economic and social barriers that prevent them from fully exercising their leadership skills. It is an effort that indeed needs constant nurturing with resources, mentoring and activities that challenge the leader’s limits so they keep growing themselves and renew and expand the movement.