When we hear the word leader, many of us think of someone at the front of a room.
A CEO. A principal. A director with a polished speech.
But leadership, in its truest form, arises first from within.
Leadership begins as self-leadership — the way we are in relationship with our own inner life, the authenticity we cultivate, and the presence we bring into the spaces we inhabit.
In our last Conversation, we touched on the importance of relationship. We’ll also talk about reflection, renewal, and resonance. Each of these begins with an inner rhythm — with how we move through our own being before we extend outward to connect with others.
Leadership, at its heart, is one series of these inner rhythms.
The Leader’s Pathway:
Leadership begins in our relationship to self — how we tend our patterns, notice our needs, honor our rhythms.
From there, we cultivate an authentic self that we can bring forward — not as performance, but as presence.
And it is through this authentic presence that we engage the world outside ourselves — through an external self that is attuned, relational, and capable of fostering spaces where others can thrive.
This is the rhythm of leadership held here in the practice of cReative Leadership.
And here is an important truth: We are all leaders.
Leadership is not limited to those with formal titles. It is not reserved for those in positions of power.
We lead in every moment where we offer presence, foster possibility, or create space for others to rise.
Parents lead. Peers lead. Artists lead. Caregivers lead. Even the quietest voice in the room may lead — through the resonance it creates, the steadiness it holds, or the invitation it offers.
Leadership is relational — it arises when we are in right relationship with ourselves and others.
One of my favorite reminders of this truth comes from science fiction — Larry Niven’s Ringworld.
Niven writes about a race known for their flight and resilience, called the Puppeteers.
The Puppeteers are led not by the boldest or most visible, but by one called The Hindmost — they also call this leader the One Who Leads from Behind.
In a culture shaped by caution and care, The Hindmost embodies a truth we often forget: that leaders as people and leadership as function need not always be at the front. Sometimes it is the unseen hand, the one who tends direction quietly, creating conditions for others to move and flourish.
We all have opportunities to lead — often in ways that do not resemble the images we are handed of what a “leader” should look like.
Self-leadership is where this begins.
If you’d like to explore the idea of self-leadership more deeply, you may find reflections in works such as:
- Presence by Peter Senge, Otto Scharmer, Joseph Jaworski, and Betty Sue Flowers
- The Inner Work of Leadership by Barry Z. Posner
- What Schitt’s Creek teaches us about self-awareness in leadership — Center for Creative Leadership (podcast)
As we journey in cReative Leadership, let’s begin with the understanding that being a leader looks different for each of us.
Next, hold to the recognition that leadership is an inner practice first — one that shapes how we move through the spaces we inhabit, and how we invite others to move with us.
You are welcome to continue these Conversations here — in a space where leadership is expansive, relational, and human. Next time, we’ll return from the sidebar to consider the importance and influence of Reflection.
Your Journey Sentinal, Andree
