The Leading Edge: Grandma Leadership
Leadership is not about position or title. It has no age, no gender, and no fancy education. Leadership is not a noun; it’s a verb.
Leadership is action. Leadership is making a difference in the lives of others and modeling how to make a difference in the lives of others.
Meet Jean. She’s 92 years old and a stay-at-home mother of five. This year, she received a citation from her city for 50 years of service. What does she do? She helps people. When there is a fire, she goes down to the fire station with fresh baked goodies and makes a pot of coffee so it’s ready when the firemen return from a call. She works in her church’s food pantry 2 days a week. She picks up the phone and checks up on people. She’s the modern-day Uber who reaches out to other grannies in their 90s who don’t have husbands to see if they need groceries, a ride to the doctor, or a visit from a friend.
When she sees something not “right” in her community, she makes a call to the town to “get to the bottom” of things. She still plays baseball in the backyard with her grandchildren and, now, great-grandchildren. She works on her personal growth every day by doing crossword puzzles, reading, and playing solitaire to keep her mind sharp.
She was diagnosed with stomach cancer two years ago. Even cancer doesn’t stop her. She’s active. Every. Day. Her life isn’t about her. Her life is about others. This is what real leadership is. I am so blessed this amazing woman is my grandmother and the first female leader I have learned from.
As a person who has developed and served high performance teams and executive leaders in the Fortune 200 world as well as family-owned businesses for over 25 years, I’ve had on-the-job exposure to glean from good, great, and not-so-great leaders. It wasn’t until I found my family at The John Maxwell Team that it really clicked for me about what real leadership is. As my mentor and friend John says, “Put the cookies on the bottom shelf.”
Leadership isn’t complicated. Leadership is serving. Leadership is tapping into the talents you already have and serving from where you already are so anyone can have a taste.
You may be thinking, “Where do I start to become a better leader?” Take Jean’s model and begin today!
- Look around at what you can do to make a positive change and take action. Be Intentional – Jean saw her friends had a need. She became the go-to girl to fill that need. What can you do for others to become the “go-to?”
- Work on yourself every day. Make personal growth a life long journey – Jean found a hobby that keeps her growing every day. What have you wanted to do to keep growing but haven’t made the time? Make the time.
- Don’t allow what you don’t have prevent you from stepping out. Live out of your gift zone – Jean didn’t have a fancy college degree; she has an high school education. She is a great baker, homemaker, mother, and friend. Her upside down pineapple cake is her vehicle to connect her with the community and touch a heart. What talent do you have you can share to serve others?
- Let your life be an example to others by modeling possibilities. Live a life of service – Jean models intentional actions with her family, friends, and community. She’s the first to volunteer and the last to go home. When she finds a problem, she takes action to create a solution. At 92, she has as much “get-up-and-go” as she did when her 5 children were living home. I am grateful she modeled to me great leadership, what I call Grandma Leadership.
Her modeling has helped me become the woman I am today. Like Grandma, I spend two days a week running a food pantry I started 15 years ago, and my home and business is a re-charging station for those who need encouragement, mentoring, and inspiration for a better life.
At the end of August 2017, I head to The John Maxwell International Conference to spend the week with my friend John and other Speakers, Coaches, and Trainers like me who want to help others create a life of significance. After my time with my John Maxwell Family, I head to NY to my childhood home to spend time with Grandma Jean to celebrate her 93rd birthday. Won’t you celebrate her with me? Heed her advice and do something intentional today to impact someone else’s life. Leadership is about others.
Bio:
Carolann McGough is an Executive Director and member of the President’s Advisory Council of The John Maxwell Team. She brings to the John Maxwell Family over 25 years’ experience developing high performance teams and executives and has a passion for mentoring others to become world-class leaders. Some of her recent work includes developing leaders at all levels of law enforcement, and her new project The Beauty Boardroom , a personal development community for women in leadership, has launched nationwide.
You can learn more about Carolann and her business at www.johnmaxwellgroup.com/carolannmcgough.