What Kind of Leader Are You? My Answer Might Surprise You
Earlier this week, during an interview, I was asked a seemingly simple question: What kind of leader are you?
A wave of familiar answers rushed to mind—servant, transformational, participative, strategic. All valid. All powerful. But instead, I said something else:
“I’m an Illustrative Leader.”
It’s not a widely recognized category. But for me, it captures something essential— a way of leading that’s grounded in example, story, and embodiment.
What Is an Illustrative Leader?
An illustrative leader leads by example— using stories, visuals, metaphors, and lived behavior to clarify direction, model values, and inspire action.
They don’t just tell people what to do. They show them what’s possible.
Traits of an Illustrative Leader:
Demonstrative: Embodies the change they want to see.
Story-Driven: Uses narrative to build connection and meaning.
Visual Thinker: Makes complex ideas tangible and memorable.
Authentic Model: Lives the message—consistently and with integrity.
Why It Matters
Illustrative leaders:
Inspire trust by being the message.
Help people see, feel, and remember what matters.
Align teams through values, not just strategy.
Thrive in creative, educational, and purpose-driven environments.
For me, leadership isn’t about making people feel small. It’s about creating the conditions for growth— not through pressure, but through possibility.
It’s about using authority to open learning, not to tighten control. To invite people to take ownership of their own development— not because they’re told to, but because they believe in what they’re becoming.
Leadership is a practice of listening, of holding space, and asking the quiet but urgent question:
Why are we still in the same room? What must shift so we can evolve—together?
When people face personal challenges, they don’t need to be frowned upon. They need a guiding hand, not a judging eye.
Struggle isn’t weakness. It’s an invitation— to lead with empathy, to extend trust to those still learning to trust themselves, to remember that growth rarely looks graceful in real time.
True leadership isn’t watching someone fall. It’s helping them rise— with dignity still intact.
How Can We Become a Stronger Team of One?
By bringing our minds together—not to compete, but to co-create. By letting our egos rest—not in defeat, but in trust. Trust that ideas don’t need to come from me to be meaningful. That leadership isn’t control—it’s deep listening. That alignment doesn’t require agreement—just shared intention.
When we stop seeking credit and start offering clarity, when we stop guarding our positions and start opening our hearts—
we move as one.
And in that unity, we find strength— not just in numbers, but in oneness.