There you are......or.....Here I am  

A very good friend shared with me the saying that there are two types of people in the world:  One kind who walks into a cocktail party and proclaims 'Here I Am!' and the other kind who walks into that same cocktail party and says 'Ah, there you are'.   One could be considered to be compelling, charismatic, and dynamic....the other could be said to be inspiring, engaging, and memorable.
 (Notice how all six adjectives could be applied to both types.)

We can apply this same comparison to those who are in leadership positions.   We have all most likely encountered the first type of leader in our careers as the most common leadership style in many organizations.  But, I'm finding that far too few people have had the experience of being led and influenced by the second type. 

I just returned from a business trip with what I believe to be the finest example of a 'There YOU are' (TYA) type of leader that I have ever met.   And, on my flight home, I watched the recent Morgan Freeman movie 'Invictus' about South African President Nelson Mandela.   The consistencies in leadership style emerged so powerfully that this week's topic for The Second Cup was almost decided for me.  

It is true that leaders must effectively communicate the mission and diligently drive toward results with a big picture mind set.  But, the truly great leaders are the ones who connect with people one-on-one.  The great ones are those who can turn a single conversation into the catalyst for launching an entire cultural change or process re-engineering project. 

A few external traits that are relatively easy to spot in a TYA leader:
- Active engagement at all levels of the organization
- Personal involvement with team members connected to delivering results
- Genuine interest in the well-being of each contributing member of the team
- Unbroken connection to the team's mind-set for achieving the established goals

But to know you're in the presence of a truly great TYA leader, you need to look in the most intimate place:  your own heart.
It's the truly great leaders that ignite a powerful sensation within you.....one that has everything to do with your feelings.   Those feelings then become the fuel of  great thoughts that are inspiring, uplifting, and positive.  Those feelings result in a re-connection within yourself to somehow 'do better', 'be more', or 'drive deeper' to get the kind of outcomes that are manifestations of your deepest desires. 
 
You'll know you're in the presence of a TYA leader when you find yourself remembering the greatness within you..............it's like  he or she has walked into a cocktail party and was able to spot YOU and bring out the best in YOU and say.....'ahh, there YOU are'.