Self-Leadership Is Civic Leadership
When you hear the word leader, you may picture elected officials, CEOs, or activists on the front lines. Too often, we make leadership sound like something reserved for a special few. But here’s the truth: we are all leaders. Some of us choose to develop and express our leadership skills more often, but every one of us has the capacity to lead—especially when it comes to our own lives.
The hardest person to lead is ourselves. That’s where self-leadership comes in. As we hold politicians accountable, we must also take responsibility for how we show up in our families, workplaces, neighborhoods, and civic life.
What does self-leadership look like in civic engagement?
Educating ourselves. Learn what’s on the ballot, who the candidates are, and how their decisions impact health, housing, jobs, and safety. One way to do this is to access your ballot ahead of the election at sites like vote.org or through your local board of elections.
Sharing information. Talk with friends, neighbors, and coworkers about deadlines, issues, and resources. Trusted voices move people. Create a buzz in your circle of influence by sharing links to articles and resources on community issues and how you can get better informed and involved.
Make it a part of what people come to expect and love about you. Meeting up with your friends? Be sure to check in to see if everyone is registered or has requested an early voting or absentee ballot or whatever is needed to be engaged in the electoral process. Become that person who is known as informative and resourceful so others can follow suit.
Taking action. Volunteering, attending community meetings, and speaking up for justice aren’t optional extras—they’re part of the work of leadership. Many organizations, such as your local community service organizations, houses of worship, and even local businesses host events to inform the community about ways to take action on community issues. To go the next level, you can seek out opportunities to volunteer with those organizations you have found the most impactful in helping you to develop the leadership skills and knowledge to speak up on the issues.
Connecting with others. Becoming more active and vocal in your community can be daunting, but don’t worry. You don’t have to do it alone. Self-leadership isn’t a solo act. Invite others to join you to create progress and healthier conditions for all. Where can you find persons to join you, start where you are. Family members, co-workers, classmates, and neighbors are a good place to start. They may just need an invite, and you are just the right person to get the spark of self-leadership ignited in your community.
Beyond the Ballot Box
Too often, we throw up our hands when politicians disappoint us. We sigh, complain, and blame—but if all we do is vote, we haven’t done enough. Voting is essential, but to be effective, civic engagement must be continual engagement.
Don’t wait for information about what’s happening in your community to make its way to you. Self-leadership means:
Staying informed about what elected officials are doing (or not doing).
Reaching out to representatives to share your priorities.
Holding them accountable for the promises they’ve made.
Why It Matters for Our Health
Leadership and civic engagement aren’t abstract ideas. They touch every aspect of our health—clean water, safe housing, food access, wages, and neighborhood safety. If we don’t lead ourselves to engage, to ask questions, and to push for change, the systems around us won’t shift on their own.
That’s why self-leadership is civic leadership. It starts with each of us taking responsibility for learning, speaking, connecting, and acting. When we lead ourselves well, we strengthen our communities and improve the conditions for health and well-being across our cities.
Your Call to Action
Did you know we have only a few more days of early voting left in New Orleans? Is this an area where you can engage in self-leadership by getting to the polls if you haven’t already done so? By going to the polls can you encourage others to do the same?
Share in the comments one way you plan to practice self-leadership in this election season. Together, our collective self-leadership becomes the civic leadership our city needs.