The Power of Difference: Why No Two Leaders Lead Alike
Leadership is Uncommon – Part 3
Leaders are like twins; while they may appear identical outside, they are not the same. There are no identical leaders.
Leaders are rare; they are unlike anyone else. Earlier, I mentioned that no two leaders are alike, and that is true. There are no identical leaders. The least common denominator of leadership is a person who is uncommon, not like anyone else. Before we get into the uniqueness of a leader, let’s talk about what it takes to notice such qualities. As Craig Groeschel says, “You will never be a leader that others love to follow if you aren’t a leader that loves people.”
While this quote may seem off-topic, I want to emphasize the concept of the least common denominator in leadership: an uncommon individual. In other words, they possess an extraordinary love for something—an idea, a cause, or a community.
I enjoy watching a show called “The Foods That Built America,” which features stories of unlikely individuals who achieved remarkable things. One story that stood out to me was about the origin of chocolate chip cookies. Ruth Graves Wakefield, who created the concept of chocolate chip cookies for Toll House, freely shared her recipe, and others recognized its extraordinary potential. Because of her, chocolate chip cookies became a beloved treat. Yet, she never realized her significance; she did not see herself as a leader. Therefore, others took her recipe and built fortunes off of it. She had unknowingly created something that has outlasted her lifetime and evolved into an immense multi-trillion-dollar industry, the cookie business.
There’s no other way to explain it. This woman had extraordinary potential but did not recognize it. She simply enjoyed baking and gave the recipe away. She could have sold her cookies or patented her invention, yet her self-perception hindered her from embracing her leadership role. If anything, the chocolate chip cookie could have been named after her!
“You will never be a leader that others love to follow if you aren’t a leader that loves people.” – Craig Groeschel
Returning to Groeschel’s quote, there is a theme of love. Ruth, who made the cookies, not only had a passion for baking but a love for it. Love is giving, hence the reason she gave away her recipe. She loved what she had created so passionately that she wanted others to have it. That’s what leaders have at their core: a love so great for their gifts or things they create that they want everyone to have it. People do things out of love—usually for people or for the benefit of others. The key point is that leaders have a deep love for something.
Perhaps you are not embracing your leadership potential because you’ve sidelined what you love, the very thing that benefits others. Maybe you put your leadership on the shelf because you decided to put what you love on the back burner. It’s time you picked up your passion so that your love for it can positively impact those around you and the world you can touch. I encourage you to rediscover what you love so you can become the greatest leader your world has ever seen.
Focusing on what you love more than anything else will make you the most outstanding leader your world has ever seen.
