Everybody Leads

Our colleague, Tim Lupinacci, recently published a book entitled Everybody Leads. Reflecting on what Tim says, we realized that he conveys a message that all leaders should spread to encourage their teams. Tim’s thesis is that leadership is not confined to those with formal titles or positions of power. Instead, he shows us that everyone has the potential to lead in their daily lives, regardless of their role or background. Leadership, he reminds us, is all about influence and impact, which we can all work on growing and improving every day. Great leaders do not wait for the perfect opportunity, position or role, but create them through determination and persistence.

Most of us had a pivotal moment early in our legal careers when we were challenged by a senior partner to step up and take ownership of our projects and our careers. That forces us to become better leaders, even if you are a first-year associate in a large law firm. If we learn from those early moments, we grow our leadership skills and influence through disciplined focus and action. 

Every individual, in every capacity, is leading in some way. And the beauty of that fact is that you always have opportunities to improve your leadership skills and grow in your effectiveness as a leader. You must own the moment and work at becoming more effective for people in varied situations who look to you for leadership. Tim’s journey has resulted in the leadership stories and concepts described in the book built on real-world experiences, mistakes, setbacks and failures.

Some of the practical tips that Tim discusses in Everybody Leads include:

1. Leading yourself. The first person you must focus on to become a better leader is yourself. Self-leadership involves setting personal goals, maintaining discipline and remaining curious to continuously improve. Even people in positions that don’t have direct reports, such as an office clerk, a receptionist or a legal secretary, can exemplify expanded influence and impact by the way they own their position, bring a positive attitude and encourage others. A key part of growing as a leader is the consistency and discipline of daily execution that compounds over time into greater leadership influence.
2. Leading others. Once our influence increases, we should focus on how we can lead others and build effective teams. Tim includes several practical ways that we can improve our skills in becoming a better communicator by becoming a more effective listener, building trusted relationships around the dinner table and proactively working through conflicts with empathy and resolve. In leading others, you must become adept at casting a vision that inspires others to move forward. This also includes “walking the halls” to connect with team members to ensure they are clear on what is required of them and how they can have a greater impact on the team’s or organization’s success.
3. Resilience. As the world continues to be more complex and uncertain, leaders must continually build their ability to bounce back from mistakes and setbacks and to continue moving forward with determination and optimism. Having foundational values and set recurring organizational events or meetings that connect individuals often serve as anchoring devices to help steady the team during challenging times and to give them the confidence in the firm and the desire to stay.
4. Creating a positive leadership example. Leaders create a culture and environment by showing up each day and by how they interact with others. Good leaders create an atmosphere of positivity, energy, passion and purpose.
5. Pivoting through unexpected obstacles. Leaders routinely face surprises in the whirlwind of each day. Like a seasoned Formula 1 racer who is running full throttle during a race must slam on the brakes, pivot, while simultaneously pushing the accelerator to navigate hairpin turns, a leader must be agile. While embracing the brutal reality of the situation, the best leaders maintain focused hope and optimism on taking the next right step and helping the team through the challenging twists and turns.
6. Being present. Leaders must prepare and practice being fully present in each interaction, each moment and each meeting. Leaders must engage with their colleagues, avoiding distractions and focusing on meaningful conversations.

Tim’s point that leadership is not about having a formal title or a fancy office but about making a positive impact on others through daily actions and consistent effort resonated with us. We can all ensure that we show up, commit to excellence in everything we do and learn how to get better as a leader in every setting.