Tall Without Title.

Had barely settled in to work one morning when word reached us that a giant had fallen. The news hit many like a ton of bricks and everything came to a standstill. People took to the streets. Tributes started streaming in on live television shortly thereafter. I had always known the figure was influential but was unsure as to what extent he was. It’s only in the silence that followed his fall that I truly heard the echo of his footsteps.

In as much as the top elective seat in the nation was as elusive as a rainbow in the night, this did little to dampen his spirit. The seat or lack of it did not stop him from creating a ripple effect that spread across the country. He took many under his wings and over time they left the nest having learnt a thing or two about leadership. Granted he may never have sat in the highest seat, he stood tallest in the hearts of many. A testament to the fact that influence does not require authority and a seat is just that – a seat. It’s not the chair that makes the leader.

In the days following his passing, there was a beehive of activity in the nation. I took some time to reflect and took a trip down memory lane. Back in the day, there was a boy whose desire for leadership was shunned at every point and turn. He would marshal support, turn on his charm and go all out but run out of words at the podium. He dropped the ball when it mattered most and became a laughing stock. This did not deter him. Whenever an opportunity presented itself, he threw his hat on the ring. The outcome was as predictable as the sunrise; he never failed to repeat his missteps. He failed – publicly, painfully, and persistently.

You can only take a beating for so long. It’s only human to take a step back and call yourself to a meeting. This is exactly what he did after a trashing that left him covered in a cloud of dust. After a deep introspection, it dawned on him that power was the least of his concern. A desire to help others propelled him more than any other reason. He later on confessed that the pain of losing dissipated into thin air when he thought of the helpless. Their need eclipsed his ego. In the years that followed, his sphere of influence widened and so did his public speaking capacity. All this happened without a seat of authority. No title. No crown. Just presence and purpose.

Sought to pick an older gentleman's mind one afternoon. The topic of interest revolved around leadership. His take was simple yet profound; “A seat is just that if it's not backed by the people's goodwill”. He had retired decades ago. Yet whenever he stepped into his former employer’s office, he was treated with utmost respect. It's as if he never left. They still addressed him by his title. Though “retired” had to be included albeit unwillingly. The reverence had nothing to do with the title. It was for the man. For the way he led. For the way he made people feel seen, heard and valued.

When the time was ripe for him to depart the workplace, he never clung to power. Instead, he tried to earn his absence in the same vein he had earned his place throughout the course of his career that lasted a little over three decades. And that, perhaps is the quiet mark of true leadership – not how loudly you are remembered, but how naturally your name still fits in rooms you no longer occupy. Owing to the reception he received way after he left, it is quite evident that the impact of his leadership lingered like the scent of old wood and worn leather – subtle, but unmistakable.

The secret, he confided with a quiet smile, is not buried in some leadership book or taught in seminars for the crème de la crème management team. It was simple – serve first, lead second. He nostalgically spoke of how during his tenure, he made it a point to know the names of the janitors before the Directors. He listened more than he spoke. He held his door open longer than most. When decisions had to be made, he weighed their impact on the least of the staff as heavily as on the shareholders. Respect, he added, is earned in moments unseen. When you show up early not to be noticed, but to notice. When you speak not to impress, but to understand. Authority may come with the title, but influence is gifted by those you lead.