Leadership 101: The Ability to Laugh at Yourself

What is a leader? There are many answers, but let's start with the basics: Can you laugh at yourself? If "yes," "sometimes," "no," or "maybe," be clear that it is all about attitude. Yes, your attitude. Your attitude can encourage and enable or discourage and constrict. The former fosters success, the latter strain. The former is visionary, the latter myopic. So, what's your attitude as a leader? Leaders are not above and they're not better than anyone else. "Above, below, better, and worse" have no place in human relations that are about respect, harmony and freedom. And, why are respect, harmony, and freedom useful ideas? Because they foster both creativity and productivity which lead to unlimited improvement opportunities, not to mention a great team

work environment where people are seen as solutions, talent is enabled, and work becomes a place one wants to be not just has to be. Leaders help clarify a shared scene, co-define actions, and foster momentum. They do this by valuing the people in the scene and holding focus on the potentiality of a creative solution. The role itself is quite simple, but the best way to make it really complex and difficult is to never laugh. Lighten up, laugh at yourself once in a while, and you might just find some people who'll truly work with you.