Rock Your Own Style

Remember a time when you saw someone so completely centered, so completed on their game that you wondered what it would be like to try their style on for style?

Long ago I wanted to be Wilt Chamberlain. If you were a basketball fan (and player) at the time you might want that, too. He was dominant. He was relentless. He could score at will. But I was not even close to his size or stature or skill. It was not the style for me.

Later I wanted to be Bruce Springsteen. To sing like him, rock like him, give more than anyone else in the business (except maybe James Brown at the time) was able to give. And, in many ways The Boss is style a big influence on my guitar and vocal styles as I play in a band even now. But I'm no Bruce, and there's no point in pretending that I could be.

It's up to each of us to rock our own style. To be our own leader. And within that, to develop the skills and character we need to be the best leader that we can be: a leader operating with clarity, courage, creativity, and compassion. A leader with our own style, but with finely tuned skills.

You can copy someone's style but it won't give you the level of understanding that got them there. You've got to get that on your own.

What's your style of leadership? Are you rocking who you are and making a difference in your team, in your life, and in your world?

-- Douglas Brent Smith

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