2023: One Leadership Action a Day

While watching one of my favorite holiday movies (Love Actually) and one of the beginning quotes made me think about leadership.

If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that, love actually is all around. - Love Actually

For 2023, I wanted to focus on the idea that leadership is actually all around. I have been reading about, studying, and practicing leadership for over 25 years. One of the aspects of leadership that has always intrigued me is this idea that leaders are people with big titles or who do big things ... and the truth is ...

If we look for it, leadership is actually all around us.

In the last year, I have been ruminating on the danger of not taking action as a leader, and I don't mean big sweeping leadership moves. I mean moments that matter to individuals - moments that matter to teams. Actions that leaders sometimes skip because they are busy or uncomfortable or don't pause enough to notice they need to take action.

So, I was inspired by this idea through the combination of watching Love Actually and seeing leadership in action -- the owner of a salon shoveling the walk to make sure her team and her clients could walk in with ease. When I mentioned seeing her leadership in action, her team quickly chimed in ...

Allie's a leader, not a boss. She always leads from the front.

These everyday leadership actions (and cultivating leadership habits) are the focus for 2023.

What might this look like?

• Notice the leadership actions of others

• Practice a new leadership action

• Invite others to build their leadership habits

• Create space for the leaders around you

I hope others will take this journey - of noticing, practicing, inviting others to leadership, and creating space for leadership -- because some of the biggest moments we remember are the smaller actions we take.