Leaders are possessed.

The most effective leaders don’t possess specific traits, characteristics or behaviors.  They are possessed by those traits, characteristics or behaviors.  ~Kathryn Scanland

I'm not intending to create a music theme, but we can learn a thing or two about leadership from musicians.  I attended a concert last night; the specific genre would be difficult to pinpoint, they call it folk/gypsy/swing.  The group included four musicians but it was the clear leader of the group who got my attention.  I've attended hundreds of concerts and many musicians are superb performers, but now and then you come across someone who appears to be possessed by the music.  Last night was one of those occasions. 

He was truly possessed by the music.  It was as if the music was flowing through every inch of his being.  His energy didn't waver for even a second throughout the duration of the nearly two-hour set.  There wasn't a moment that his intensity or passion lingered.  It didn't seem as if he was performing as much as he was just "being" a vessel for the music to flow through.

So of course I started to think about what a leader would look like if they didn't just possess specific traits but instead, they were possessed by those traits.  Imagine a leader possessed by passion, optimism, authenticity, and clarity of purpose.  They don't possess passion, optimism, authentic and clarity of purpose and then use those traits in their leader performance; they are possessed by those traits.

There are some leaders who fall into this category.  One who immediately comes to mind is Craig Kielburger of Free the Children.  He was caught by passion, optimism, authenticity and clarity of purpose at the young age of 12.  Yes, that's right; he started a nonprofit at age 12 sixteen years ago.  Free the Children is the largest nonprofit of children serving children in more than 40 countries around the world to free children from slavery.

So why aren't more of us possessed by leadership as opposed to performing as leaders?  Just like there are many wonderful performers in the music world there are also many wonderful performers in the leadership world so this is not intended to discount those individuals.  But how does someone move from performing to being possessed? 

I can only speculate, but when I think of specific leaders who are "possessed" and not just performing, they have something in common.  They all very intentionally open themselves to being impacted, inspired, and moved by others.  And they do this with a degree of vulnerability that few are willing to risk.

The musician I saw last night could have held back, he could have been concerned that some of his antics may have been viewed as odd or even foolish.  He could have given a "performance."  But he didn't, he allowed the music to possess him and instead his passion and authenticity were contagious.  The group was new to most of us in the audience.  But we all stayed and demanded an encore; we couldn't get enough of what possessed him. 

Imagine a leader, so possessed by passion, optimism, authenticity, and clarity of purpose that we just can't get enough, and we demand an encore.