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What does "everyone leads" mean to you?

Everyone Leads - Erin BuskBETTERING YOURSELF BY BETTERING YOUR COMMUNITY
Author: Erin Busk, Indianapolis, Ind.

A leader is an ever evolving picture in my head. I have always admired leaders that exemplify the image of dedicated, empathetic, passionate community members. Leading is about being open and accepting that you will always be a learner who is striving toward better understanding.

Leaders are community members — a friend, a bus driver, a professor, a grocery store clerk — they are anyone and everyone around you. Leaders are passionate about their fellow neighbors; they are driven by the desire to better themselves by bettering their communities. Leaders aren’t afraid to stand up in the face of adversity, give their resources to those in need, or take part in the movement toward positive change.

“Everyone leads,” to me, means we are all leaders in our own right, in our own lives, in our own passions. We all have the ability to step up and be the voice for something close to our hearts, we all have the ability to step up and help our fellow neighbor. We as leaders have the ability to make a difference, and we use that ability every day.

“We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community… Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.” — Cesar Chavez

Erin is a Public Ally in Indianapolis, where she is serving as a Lead Program Facilitator with the Girl Scouts of Central Indiana.

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Everyone Leads - Andrew HenckEVERYONE HAS THE ABILITY TO INFLUENCE

Author: Andrew Henck, Pasadena, Calif.

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Author: Jeremy Welland, San Francisco

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Everyone Leads - Alicia F.REALIZING THE POWER OF MY VOICE

Author: Alicia Fleming-Lawanson, Milwaukee, Wis.

In some capacity everyone leads. Whether you are a leader in your family, workplace, community, or church, you are a leader. … << read more >>

Everyone Leads - Vicente E.USING MY EXPERIENCE TO HELP OTHER YOUNG DADS

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I was a teen father at the age of 16. I wasn’t as involved as I should have been as a father. In 2007 I was kicked out of different schools for minor offenses and I ended up at a charter school that allowed me to get my academics together. … << read more >>

Everyone Leads - David V.TAKING THE LESSONS YOU LEARN BACK HOME

Author: David Veliz of New York, N.Y.

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Everyone Leads - Marc McAleaveyIT’S THE PERSON SITTING NEXT TO YOU

Video: Marc McAleavey of Indianapolis, Ind.

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Everyone Leads - EbonyIT’S EVERYDAY INFLUENCE

Video: Ebony Scott of Chicago, Ill.

To Ebony, everyday influence -- in your family, in the board room, at work -- can be a powerful way to lead. You can read more about Ebony in chapter 6 of the book. … << read more >>

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Author: Marcus Boatwright, New York, N.Y.

One of the first things that helped me reach my passion was realizing my purpose and existence in this world. … << read more >>

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Author: Gregory M. Dams, Delafield, Wis.

I listened to a wonderful lecture that Mr. Paul Schmitz gave to me and fellow students at Carroll University on leadership, and if I were to sum up that message, it would be something like this: Leadership is action, not position. … << read more >>