What really is a leader?  In junior high, a leader was the kid who had everything, including a free pass out of class anytime.  Someone with all the right connections, all the “cool” friends, and all the confidence in the world.  Leadership to me was associated with popularity and fun.  That was the only reason I signed up for that class!  But in years since, my perception of leadership has entirely evolved.

I actually came to further understand leadership not through any specific leadership classes, but through my involvement in community service organizations.  I am a prime example of a leader (I hope I can call myself that) who was made and not born. I was always slightly shy, hesitant to speak my mind, and afraid to do anything outside the ordinary.  And while I wasn’t completely introverted or awkward, I was so constrained by my fears that it inhibited not only my development as an individual, but my ability to think of others first and recognize their divine attributes and potential.  It wasn’t until I began genuinely immersing myself in service that I was able to break through my own barriers.  I got a tiny glimpse of how Christ sees us—with not just tolerance for others’ flaws and differences, but with a pure and overwhelming love for our strengths as well as our weaknesses. 

So I guess I’ll pose my question again.  What is a leader?  It really has nothing to do with popularity or special privileges; it is all about other people. The ability to reach out to the lonely and the isolated, the ability to highlight our similarities rather than our differences, and the ability to inspire the laziest of slackers all require you to empathize with a wide diversity of individuals.  Leadership requires you to forget your preconceptions and seek to truly understand another’s needs.  It requires you to sometimes make sacrifices that are uncomfortable.  It requires you to lead through example in the roughest of times.  Sometimes it even requires you to humbly step aside and allow others to take the lead.  I know that there are so many different ways to lead and in so many different capacities, but in my eyes, it all boils down to one distinct characteristic: selflessness.