Why should anyone be led by you?

A good question that the BBYO Global Leadership Academy made me reflect about.

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I am Tadeo Susnisky, an Aleph from Shabados #5045 of BBYO Argentina, and I participated in a new BBYO project called The Global Leadership Academy (GLA). The GLA consisted of a series of online workshops, many with guest speakers, and weekly tasks where we developed our leadership skills while connecting and generating a global network with Alephs and BBG leaders from around the world. We were asked to write about an article related to leadership, and while reading the article I chose, I had some thoughts about leadership and how working with others is the best way a leader can lead.

A leader can be anyone. However, no one is born as one, and one needs to work hard in order to be one. Leaders are not anything above human. They have two eyes, one nose, one mouth, and they are imperfect and have weaknesses like each one of us.

But by work or self-nature, leaders have the gift to inspire people and capture their hearts, minds, and souls. This gift is really powerful, considering the fact that they can influence and change their follower’s minds to think and be different. Leaders can use this skill for good: to improve other’s lives and the world itself.

A true leader does not climb a mountain by themselves.They help others to get up and teach them how to climb in the most efficient way. A leader can recognize that it’s easier to climb as a team, and instead of climbing alone, working as a team can allow leaders to climb higher and get further.

Behind every CEO, president, manager, captain, Godol or N´siah, there are other people who helped them get there. They all work to improve each other and ascend the mountain together.

With all of this in mind, and as an international member of BBYO, I relate BBYO’s structure to a democracy; we have a central government, the International Board, the Regional Board are like a state, and the chapters boards are the city's government. All of them are always chosen by the people from the same country, city, or state.

A leader is no one without their follower’s collaboration and continuous election. Executives can’t do anything if their constituents won’t choose them first. This is why leaders need to work with people who may not have positions like them. It takes a team to climb the mountain!

Every day, at every moment, and in every occasion, we choose who to follow and who to be influenced by. We choose who to have as an example for our own lives every day.‍

We choose our leaders, and by choosing our leaders, we are the leaders of our own life.