Teaching, Leading, Engaging

I always wanted to lead and be a good leader. My family used to say to me that I have that quality. Because of that constant repetition, I ended up believing it. So... some years later, here I am writing these thoughts.

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When I got the opportunity to be a full-time collaborator at the company I'm today (by the time writing this post), I never expected to achieve such a position of leadership in a short matter of time. And so far I have enjoyed it. With all the good, the better, the stressful, and the bad that comes with it.

Thanks to it, I have learned that to be a leader is much more than making the final choices or delegating duties. Is to be in charge of a group of people and guide them to the proposed goal of the project. Is to be that father figure to them when they are scared or nervous. Is to be the voice when they are afraid to speak out loud or to be their solid rock when they are doubtful of how to do something. To remind them that their job and effort are valuable and do make a difference. To constantly be thankful to them for the contributions they add to the project.

However, it does have a toll. To be constantly called or searched upon to sort out any type of problem can be really tiring. Or to even validate the smallest thing, do cut my flow of work. To be called five or seven times in an hour can frustrating, but is something that is part of the role. There is no other way to endure it. And I have learned to like it. When people look for you, is because they trust you. They believe in your word and choices and that is a really good feeling that pays for everything else.

As for my team, without wearing me out, I put in the first place their needs, and their situations. If I can be assured that my team can work at 100%, they will feel happy and the project will run forward as wanted. I do thank them daily for the effort but also look for their earnings, growth, and stability. Grateful words may not pay the bills, so I do sort out that their earn as expected and desired.

"A great man doesn’t seek to lead. He’s called to it. And he answers." - Leto Atreides

Leadership is also to say no, to question, to push the team almost to the limits, to inspire and motivate but also to reprimand, to lead the way. To keep repeating: "That solution does not convince me, bring another", "we can't do that, think of something else", and "That is really creative, but you know we just can't implement it, next idea". Somedays your team will feel frustrated, saddened, or angry due to the client, the requirements, the feedback, or even at you. As a leader, you teach them how to deal with it and go on. Try again, without giving up. Being emotionally responsible and human enough to make them feel warm. Not taking anything to the chest.

Leading by example is one of the greatest challenges. As a leader, you are still a human and feel just as much as your dependents. But your team will still look up to you. There have been days I have felt that the sky is failing, and there have been situations when I want the easy and fast exit. To run away when things get out of hand. I always try to show them their mistakes or said in other words: illustrate to them how to do things in a better way. But when gray days come you want to forget your own teachings and look for the simplest of ways ignoring if it is efficient or even correct at all.

"I Asked Him, How Can A Man Be Brave If He’s Afraid? That Is The Only Time A Man Can Be Brave, He Told Me." - Robb Stark

The true burden of all leaders is to carry their team. Just as Professor X said: "It's the greatest gift we have: to bear their pain without breaking. And it comes from the most human part of us: hope." One may get recognition, awards, and congratulations, yes. Even when the leader didn't get to the technical or low level of doing the concrete mix, helping the team to complete the job at the same time you contribute to building their career is one of the greatest honors, and that does need big applause.

In a short period of time, I have learned so much, and do conclude that engaging with other humans toward a common objective is the highlight of these past months in my career. Yet, there is so much I have not to learn, there is a long road ahead of me still. Many new situations I will face and will have to deal with. Better and harder days will come too, love and hate that I'll receive. But I do know now, I'll do it prepared, with the learnings that I have got till today. I look forward to anything up ahead. Because at the end of the day, the leaders are those to stand in front of the line, may with fear but with a heart full of braveness and strength.

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In case you were wondering the image used above is this one. Taken from Unsplash, by Shridhar Gupta.