exper i e nc e e me r g e :
Expand you r n e t w o r k – a n d your sk ills
STEPHANIE COLÓN
COMMUNITY
SOUTHERN BANK
C
] O N N E C T
EMERGELakeland.com
What does the
definition of Leadership
mean to you? Does it
mean control? Does it
mean management?
Leadership to me
means gaining
authority by giving it
away. I learned a long
time ago that a great
leader is a person
who mobilizes others
toward a common
goal. Leadership can
have so many different
definitions to people.
Leadership is about
how to guide people,
with care and concern.
When I was a young
child, I always felt
that I wanted to be
4 | FORUM FOR BUSINESS
a leader. In the fifth
grade I was a patrol at
our elementary school
and even then I knew
that in order to be a
good leader, I had to
follow the rules as I
would have told other
classmates to follow,
such as no chewing
gum, and no running
in the hallway. That
experience taught me
that even though I was
“in charge” I had to be
an example.
Leadership isn’t a
title. Think of the time
when Abraham Lincoln
was our President. He
was a vital leader in
preserving the Union
during the Civil War.
He had endured so
many pressures, despite
the assassination
threats, generals who
weren’t ready to fight,
and huge loss of life
on the battlefields,
he kept fighting until
the Confederacy
was defeated.
President Lincoln,
also accomplished
the Emancipation
and Proclamation,
even though this
didn’t immediately
free all slaves, he
worked tirelessly
until the final passage
of the Thirteenth
Amendment, however,
he was assassinated
before it’s final
enactment. President
Lincoln's Leadership
was benevolent and
participatory, he was
a great leader. Being
a great leader, doesn’t
always mean that you
make the “popular”
choices. In his situation
his stance and beliefs
were for the people, all
the people.
In the month of May,
Emerge Lakeland will
host it’s annual “Follow
the Leaders” event.
Every year we gather
community Leaders
who we feel will give
our young professionals
advice and information
that will help transform
them as they are
traveling on their career
path. This year the
panel will consist of
New Leaders in a New
Role. We wanted to
hear from the Leaders
in our community who
have recently moved
to Lakeland and have
accepted a position that
is new to them. This
year’s event will be held
at the Lakeland Yacht
and Country Club and
there is limited seating.
Please be sure to visit
EmergeLakeland.com
and RSVP before it’s
too late.