As a native New Orleanian, I have watched the Deepwater Horizon oil rig spill unfold with great sadness and anger. I tune in to AC 360 on CNN most every night to see the latest events of the day and the ongoing impact to the region and environment.
While I have been disappointed in the way many of the leaders with titles have handled the disaster, I have been inspired by the determination, heart and hard work that ordinary people have shown. This phenomenon is common in crisis.
Sometimes I hear people in organizations say, “I’m not a leader. I don’t have the senior title. It is up to them.”
The BP oil spill shows that true leadership exists beyond one’s title and office. It is your character that makes a leader, not the level at which you serve.