I read a great column by Gwen Webber-McLeod on “Trust=Credibility + Intimacy” in The Citizen recently.

As I thought about the message of that article, it occurred to me that just as those who think of themselves as leaders are not always cast in a leadership role, those who may think of themselves as followers are sometimes called upon to be leaders. What I mean to say is that everyone is a potential leader.

Are you ever in charge of children? Has anyone ever trusted you to watch over their property? Are you sometimes asked to make a decision when the usual decision maker is unavailable? What about standing up for what's right even if everyone else around you doesn't want you to stand up? These are just a few ordinary ways in which we might be called to leadership in daily life. One ordinary lady who passed a test in a big way comes to my mind - her name was Rosa Parks.

If I am cast in a leadership role and the people I associate with do not believe that I am “for real” (credibility) or if they get the feeling that I do not really give a hoot about them as individuals (intimacy), bonds of trust cannot form. But, in addition to that, the leadership qualities of the people who distrust me will probably never dare to emerge, either. Ultimately, we will all suffer when human potential is stifled.

Lisa Backus

Auburn