Leadership is a talent

“I know how to lead a team well.” “I can motivate people to reach a common goal.” “I can write a plan and make it happen.” – … “but this is nothing special. It is just what I do, right?”

When I talk to people about their skills and talents, they often don’t get their unique gifting. For them it feels so natural what they are doing that they do not even consider it a talent. Leading a team, structuring a topic, giving people advice how to grow in their talents – it all feels so normal to them that they have a hard time to realize that these habits are all attributes that point to the talent of ‘leadership’.

Leadership is the ability to see a situation or person in the future, know the way how to get there and lead that person accordingly. With this talent you can look at a team member in the here and now but simultanously you can picture this person in a new role three years from now. Instinctively, you know in what areas this person needs training and which stages would be a good to practice on.

For many people this skill comes so natural that they believe that everyone sees the potential in people or situations. But actually it is a talent that you start discovering once you are in your first leadership roles. If you like this talent, start investing in yourself by reading books, learn some coaching and get into mentoring situations. People, who will be lead by you, will love having a leader who is skilled in his / her talent. And you will feel much more fulfilled once you start leading with purpose and vision because you realize that you are actually walking in a talent that makes you unique.