LeadForward Vol.1 No. 3

Strategy Authenticity also shows up in how we think about titles. A title used to be a big deal. If someone was “Executive Director” or “Senior Pastor,” people assumed that person sat on a different level. I resonate with the idea from the book The Leader Who Had No Title : leadership is not reserved for people with certain words on a business card. In my own company, we have a team of more than a dozen people in different roles and time commitments. I never want anyone on our team to think that my voice matters more simply because I am the founder. True leadership, in my view, is helping people without titles see that their contribution is just as valuable. Titles do not make leaders. Consistent example and shared ownership do. Of course, living this way requires coachability. Many leaders unintentionally cut themselves off from the very input that would help them grow. I remember watching a live event where a speaker was teaching someone to eat fire. The teacher asked, “Would you like me to show you how to do it?” and the volunteer said, “No, I am good.” He still planned to eat fire, but he turned down the help.

That moment captured how many of us behave. We step into something risky and unfamiliar, yet we insist on figuring it out alone. I believe real growth begins when we choose to become coachable, when we are willing to receive feedback and guidance. As leaders become more open, they model that openness for everyone around them. If a leader is willing to be coached, the team is far more likely to be coachable as well. A big part of my work involves helping people communicate their stories. Speaking is often ranked as people’s number one fear, above death. In my experience, most people are not actually afraid of speaking itself. They are afraid of the unknown. They do not know what might happen if they step on a stage. Will they forget everything? Will the audience reject them?

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