Leadership is a tough quality to define. When sports scouts look at a prospect, they classify leadership as an “intangible.” Leadership is definitely a quality, and while tough to define, it is a trait and you’ll be able to distinguish whether a person has “it” or not. What it is NOT is a measurement of your height or your weight or your ethnicity or your background. In 2010 I met a young lady that within minutes I knew exemplified leadership. She was a newly elected Trustee for the Edmonton Public School Board, easily 25 years my junior who possessed the traits I feel are key to leadership.
While leadership is certainly difficult to DEFINE, there are attributes that we can associate with signs of being a leader.
1. Visionary: A leader brings a vision to it’s group. It’s a plan by which others can FOLLOW. This vision brings the followers the emotion of hope and something the followers can strive to achieve. The vision should be clear and the leader should stand up for what the leader believes in. I have watched this woman stand up to the most senior bureaucrats and elected officials but never without respect.
“A leader is a dealer in hope” – Napoleon Bonaparte
2. Reliable: You don’t want to follow someone that shows up late or doesn’t do what they say they are going to do. In a leader, you want someone that’s reliable, with a message that people can follow. If leaders aren’t consistent in their efforts and their actions it causes followers to begin to doubt the dedication of the leader to the cause. This woman remained solidly focused and was where she needed to be. She not only fulfilled the duties of her role as trustee but went beyond in her efforts.
3. Audacity: It takes guts to be a leader. It’s not for everyone. Some people would prefer to tag along for the ride and that’s fine. Not everyone can or should be a leader. Audacious? This ladies middle name is audacity.
4. Empowering People: Inherently, people want to do a good job. They want to succeed and make others happy. As a leader, you need to allow people to succeed. By empowering people, the leader isn’t doing the task for the person following the leader, but instead gives them the tools necessary to succeed. Within her own Board she worked to built capacity so that if she was no longer on the Board they will be well placed to continue succeeding.
5. Positive: ” A leader doesn’t need to be all about rainbows and sunshine, but there definitely needs to be a boost of positivity especially when tackling a difficult project or the “going gets tough.” I remember a few years ago when this young lady worked very hard to support safe school environments through a motion before the Alberta School Boards to protect LBGTQ students. I sat with her in the hallway after the motion was defeated. A few tears were shed but she stood up, smoothed the leg of her pants and said. “We’ve got work to do.”
“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” – Winston Churchill
6. Motivating: If you don’t have the previous characteristics, it certainly isn’t very motivating for the follower to follow the leader let alone do a great job. A leader needs a vision, otherwise people don’t have a map and tend to get lost. She also motivates others and that is going to serve her well as she has now moved on from the School Board and was recently elected as an MLA and then appointed as Minister of Health. I am privileged to consider Sarah Hoffman a friend, a peer, an inspiration for young woman everywhere but most of all a ‘leader’. That’s it and that’s all.
I do know that the quote from John Quincy Adams remains key to this …”If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader”. And to young woman everywhere Sarah Hoffman is a leader. So for those individuals who have made negative comments that do not relate to this woman’s worth; keep your misogynistic comments to yourself!
Nancy's Notes 