It's Not the Altitude, It's the Attitude
The afternoon sun comes and goes today as the white, puffy clouds trail by here in the Colorado mountains. At this elevation, there is a noticeable temperature drop when the intense sun is suddenly shaded. My laptop balanced precariously on my knees, and I find myself enjoying getting to work outside today while thinking about leadership. I'm thinking about leadership not as an abstract concept or as my role as a leadership trainer and coach, but as the living, breathing reality that shapes our work lives every day.
The word "leader" gets tossed around a lot, doesn't it? When people say "leader," they might mean:
- That naturally charismatic person who takes the lead in any group from the time they are a child (the "natural-born" leader)
- The community figure making waves at city council meetings
- The fly fishing guide who shows newcomers the perfect cast
- The elected official who represents constituents and shapes the collective direction
- That expert who leads the way in their field – the thought leader, the trendsetter
But when I talk about leaders, I'm focused specifically on those people whose job is to fulfill a mission by engaging with the people who do the mission-centered work of the organization. Those managers, supervisors, and directors who are responsible not just for results, but for the humans producing those results.
In the golden glow of this summer afternoon, surrounded by the vast perspective only mountains and puffy clouds can provide, I'm reminded of why leadership training lights me up like nothing else: it reveals the extraordinary power you have to change lives, including your own.
The secret that most leaders never discover?
Leadership isn't about what you accomplish – it's about who you become and who you help others become in the process.
Whenever I have the privilege of working with leaders, I live for that magical moment when overachieving, high-performing leaders realize they're not alone in their struggles. That moment of relief when they discover leadership isn't supposed to be instinctive – it's a craft to be mastered with intention, care, and practice.
This revelation usually arrives like the warmth that comes with the sudden parting of clouds over these mountains – swift and perspective-altering. The weight lifts from their shoulders when they realize that the very qualities that made them exceptional individual contributors – self-reliance, personal excellence, technical mastery – can actually hinder their leadership effectiveness if not properly channeled.
I love having conversations that shift something fundamental in people – that bring out their own wisdom and insights that change something instantly and serve them going forward. Building relationships with the leaders I work with immediately means they don't feel so alone in their challenges. That is service worth waking up for, worth climbing mountains for.
From this elevated (literally here at 7,600 ft. in elevation) perspective, I invite you to consider:
- What if your greatest leadership contribution isn't your own work, but the growth you inspire in others?
- What if the measure of your success isn't what you achieve, but who you become along the way?
- What if leadership is less about position and more about purpose?
- What if the struggles you're facing aren't signs of failure but opportunities for transformation?
- What if leadership isn't about having all the answers, but asking the right questions?
The most beautiful revelation in leadership is discovering you can simultaneously lift others while rising yourself. All boats rise with the tide, and you are the moon that moves the water in and out with your gravitational pull.
There's profound personal meaning in becoming the kind of leader who walks alongside their team rather than standing above them. A leader who knows that their true influence is earned through service, not demanded through authority. A leader who sees their role not as the center of attention, but as the creator of conditions where others can thrive.
Life is too short to be a terrible leader (or to work for one!). Your leadership impacts not just your workplace but ripples outward into the lives of everyone your team members touch. That's a responsibility worth taking seriously – and a privilege worth celebrating.
As I am about to close my laptop to grab a long-sleeved shirt (yes, even at the end of May), I'm carrying this thought with me:
The world becomes better when leaders commit to becoming better, when we recognize leadership not as a destination but as a continuous journey of growth and service.
What kind of leadership legacy are you creating this summer? And who might you become if you embraced leadership as a practice rather than a position?
The view from here suggests the possibilities are as vast as these mountains.🏔️🌿
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