Do you see yourself as a leader?

Short answer…not really.

Long answer…I have a passive personality, I prefer non-confrontation to aggressive discussions.

Leaders need strong A typer personalities that have a commanding voice…even when they speak softly. My Dad could say more quietly than most people can by yelling. Somehow, I missed that gene…along with his coffee drinking gene :).

I do quite fine as the boss of myself. As a journalist I can have someone tell me what they want and leave me be to do it.

And now that I am independent, I choose what to write. Like when I ran the coffee shop; I am the chief cook, bottle washer, and bookkeeper. If I don’t do it, it don’t get done.

I am a very emotional person and that doesn’t go well with having to lead people; at least, in my opinion (for whatever that’s worth).

In group projects at school, it sometimes seemed like I was the only one who didn’t want to lead the group ( as my mother would unpolitically correct expression – too many chiefs and not enough Indians). Somehow I would end up running the show and doing most of the work, while the others goofed off. I never wanted to be a part of the acting assignments, so I would skirt the issue by doing the writing and letting the rest do the acting.

The only girl of three, I was often a loner as a child. My brothers got the “leadership gene” and made good use of it. One brother works for a commercial construction company; he told my mother that he was in charge of everything…including the portable toilets.

I am not “leader material” and it suits me fine. However, I am a good at that other L word – listening.