We're writing a book and it just may change how you think about leadership

For thirty years, Roosevelt Long has inspired, encouraged, and led his colleagues at a major law firm. He always greets you with a smile and lends a helping hand, regardless of the power, position, or title of the individual needing assistance. He proactively does any job that needs to be done, including many that no one else notices require attention. He goes out of his way when he sees you down the hall or across the building lobby to approach you and ask how you and your family are doing. We adopted our daughter, Lisa Kathryn, as a nine-day-old infant when I worked at the same firm with him, and he was among the first people organizing a baby shower, ensuring it was pulled off in short order with a great celebration. Twenty-four years later, and a full nineteen years since I left that company, whenever I see Roosevelt, he always asks how my “little girl” is doing.

Rosie, as he is known, has a catchphrase that he says to everyone he interacts with even on social media. The phrase? Tighten up—as in “Tighten up, Tim.” It is said as an endearment: you know he is encouraging you on to greater heights. He puts a happier step in everyone’s day. He motivates individuals to accomplish their goals and conquer the next mountain. When I finally looked up the meaning of tighten up, I found several definitions, but the one I like to think Rosie is inspiring the world with is this: making an effort to focus more intently on all you are doing in order to become more efficient and successful. Rosie is reminding everyone that you matter in this world, that what you do matters, and that together we can be more successful than we can as individuals.

One other fact you need to know about Rosie is his title. He is an office clerk. He is not an owner or officer of his company. He is not a partner, office leader, or group leader. But he is a leader in every aspect of his company and in every aspect of life. Rosie is a great example of the principle that whether you have a big-shot title or not, you are a leader.  

Think about your daily interactions. You probably have a Rosie in your life. Perhaps you are a Rosie, encouraging others in their journey. In either instance, think about the influence that the Rosie in your life has in affecting your day. Do you consider your Rosie to be a leader? I hope you have multiple Rosies in your life, and if you do, that you know they most assuredly live up to the title of leader.

You already lead in some capacity, whether in spoken word, written word, or facial expression. Whether in business, family, athletic team, civic organization, or book club. Far too many people fail to recognize their unique leadership role played out every day. As a result, they miss opportunities to influence and help others. One person who does not miss these type of leader opportunities is my colleague Nicole. When I first met Nicole, her title indicated she was a “receptionist” at our Baltimore office. I came to learn, however, that Nicole is among the best leaders in our firm.

For many of you, the title of receptionist calls to mind an individual who sits at a desk all day answering the telephone, routing calls and mail to people, and greeting guests to the office. And Nicole does this routinely during the day, but it accounts for less than ten percent of her impact and influence throughout the office and firm. Not only does Nicole embrace a Rosie-like spirit of encouragement in every interaction, but she is also a trusted colleague to all one hundred–plus other colleagues in her office. Her can-do attitude and approach to living each day to its fullest was built through years of obstacles, overcoming challenges, and growing as a leader.

Whether it is stepping in when an unexpected client or colleague from another office shows up unannounced but needs a conference room, or if a legal assistant is out on vacation and a young lawyer needs help getting something filed in court, or somebody just needs a listening ear about a personal matter, Nicole is right there to help. She is among the most valued individuals in the office and her leadership influence is felt much beyond her title and her reception desk. It reverberates throughout the firm. She is a leader in every sense of the word.

My colleague Carla is another great leader in the day-to-day operation of one of our most successful and busy client teams. Some would consider her role to be “merely staff,” however, Carla has stepped up her leadership skills and acumen to help impact her world. In my role, I routinely meet with CEOs and general counsel of our largest clients to express appreciation for their trust in our firm and our colleagues and to ask about ways we can get better in exceeding their expectations and helping drive their strategic endeavors. Each year when I meet with the CEO of one of our biggest public company clients (a global leader in healthcare), in addition to praising the shareholders and other lawyers on the team, he always includes special reference to Carla’s leadership and impact as a key part of their success.

How did Carla’s leadership journey begin? It started when her father took her to his law library early in his career. For Carla, this grew into a lifelong interest in the legal profession. She first worked in a small Dallas law office as a legal assistant, and later as a paralegal for a larger firm. Carla was encouraged along the way by wise mentors who believed in her talent and ability.

After Carla joined our firm to help a high-functioning team deliver exceptional client service, her influence began expanding almost immediately. She worked to better understand the client and its industry. She identified ways the team could function more efficiently. Carla grew her leadership and took over the role of administrative assistant and then executive coordinator for the entire team. Along the way, she made sure to build relationships with representatives from the client who called, including the CEO who now relies on her. Like Nicole and Rosie, Carla is a consummate leader. She stepped into a defined, limited position, owned it, and began taking steps to improve operations of the entire team and help exceed client expectations. This is what “everybody leads” leadership looks like in practice.

Leadership Is Hard

While these stories of Rosie, Nicole, and Carla may suggest stepping up into leadership is a cinch, make no mistake, leading is hard. However, you cannot opt out. You already are in the leadership game by living life and taking your next breath. Each day includes new leadership challenges; in fact, the very root of the word leadership foretells the significant importance of...