NH Business Review Column: The Power of Informal Leadership

We tend to think of leaders as CEOs, managers, and politicians -- the sorts of people with formal leadership roles. But some of our most impactful leaders don’t have a title, nor do they supervise others. Informal leaders are all around us, and we need to take time to notice how they use their skills to engage and motivate us – and how we, too, influence others! 

Not all informal leadership is positive, of course. For example, people who spread rumors or talk poorly of others may influence and lead people in negative ways. Consider influencers on social media, television, podcasts, etc., who can have positive, as well as negative, impacts on other people’s lives. 

Are all those influencing you improving your life -- or are some having the opposite effect?  Of course, we cannot always choose whom to interact with, but taking time to consider day-to-day interactions can help us each identify ways to diminish the impact of negative influencers (including both in-person and on line). We can also choose to seek out more people who lift us up!   

We also need to be aware of how we are using our time and talents to influence others. As Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner observe in their excellent book Learning Leadership, “every one of us has the necessary material to become a leader—including you. . . . You have to go find it inside of you and bring it out.” Please recognize your power to lead others!    

You can read my full column at https://read.nhbr.com/nh-business-review#2023/12/01/?article=4178079