7 Leaders Who May Not Have or Need a Title

Credit unions and most other organizations want to find and develop leaders. At the same time, within many of those same credit unions and organizations there are people looking for leadership opportunities.

There’s often frustration expressed on both sides of the conversation. On one hand, organizations are concerned about the sustainability of their leadership pipeline, and wear worried faces as they analyze their bench strength. On the other, if you’re listening at all you can hear the clamor of people in those same organizations who want to lead or be promoted or be given a shot or whatever other phrasing you’d prefer.

Now, I’m not one who thinks people need official titles and sanctioning to exert leadership within their organizations. Leaders are those who lead. Simple as that.

But what does that actually look like? What sorts of people are able exert some sort of leadership and influence within their organizations? What characteristics might they have? Who are these folks?

1. The Rebels

But they carry in their hearts a passion for a cause rather than an attitude of entitlement. They don’t feel nearly as bound by conventional wisdom as others might, which often works well for them. They like to think and talk about what needs to change. But it’s not just that, is it? I mean, we have plenty of that already. The rebel actually does things to make his team better, his workplace better, his manager better, his city better, and even the world better.

2. The Possibility People

These folks have a knack not only for seeing what could be, but also for rallying others around that vision whether they have a title or not. They’re not just always working on the next big thing. They’re working on making the next big thing happen.

3. The Servant Leaders

For them, leadership is a means to an end, not an end in and of itself. Leadership is a vehicle to do what they feel called to do – serve others. They are servants first, then leaders; not vice versa. Too often service is seen as something leaders do rather than who leaders are. More on this at the CU Water Cooler Symposium this fall.

4. The Maestros

They masterfully build systems and situations within which people are able to truly connect and collaborate. Perhaps they leverage social technology to do this, or maybe it’s something entirely different. But it’s beautiful to watch them find ways to awaken and unleash the passion and potential within others.

5. The (re)Producers

They’re not out to seize power or get power or an office or a title as much as they’re always looking for ways to help others lead. Leaders produce other leaders.

6. The Matchmakers

No, not that awful lady on Bravo who matches up millionaires with people wanting to marry into wealth. These organizational matchmakers connect people and ideas and resources in such a way that it avoids most of the interoffice, bureaucratic BS that so often trips all of us up.

7. The Guardians

Every organization needs these; we just need to do a better job of identifying them and encouraging them. These folks work tirelessly to live and champion the culture and core values of the organization. They don’t wilt, and they don’t back down; and they inspire others to live to a purpose higher than just themselves.

It’s important to note that all of these – and this certainly isn’t an exhaustive list – are rooted in some of those basic but very critical qualities in humans: passion, curiosity, courage, empathy, generosity, selflessness, determination, etc.

So when we see flashes of these things in our teammates around our credit unions, we’ve got to go after them, help them, encourage them, and so on. It doesn’t have to be or need to be something formal, although down the road that would probably be helpful.

Whatever we do, our teams need to understand that they can lead from wherever they are, and perhaps more importantly, that that leadership is going to look different from person to person. Serving humans through leadership is a tough, messy, vulnerable pursuit; but there are few nobler causes.