I often wonder why I aspired to leadership as a child. As an adult, leadership was often portrayed as being the person in charge, earning the most money, and enjoying a great deal of freedom and responsibility. Most of that is true. What I didn’t understand as a child, however, is that leadership is hard. All the difficult parts were left out of those descriptions.

The hard parts are challenging, and frankly, they stink. I don’t find joy or pleasure in them. Yet, the hard parts are integral to the role. As leaders, we have an obligation to find the strength and courage to face the challenges, the difficulties, and even the excruciating moments. Maybe not with a smile—and more than likely with pain and tears—but the work still needs to be done.

If we work to build resilience, the hard parts can be overcome, and others will benefit. Perhaps, then, we need to focus on the joy of service and the potential to make things better. Is that the essence of leadership?

Reflection question:

What hard parts of leadership have you encountered, and how have they shaped your understanding of service and resilience?