A couple of people have been asking me to be the face of the community of practice that I run. I tell my tribe: community leadership isn’t about standing at the front, waving a flag. It’s not about being the loudest voice or having all the answers. It’s about something much deeper, something that defies the traditional notion of leadership.
This tribe didn’t come together because of me. They came because they care, because they believe in something bigger than themselves, because they want to solve problems that matter. Leadership, in this context, isn’t about directing—it’s about creating a space where others feel empowered to step forward.
Real community leadership isn’t about being at the forefront of everything. It’s about fostering an environment where people can thrive, where ideas can bloom, where everyone has a voice. It’s not about holding onto control but letting go. Leadership isn’t ownership, it’s stewardship.
If you think of leadership as something that puts you in the spotlight, you’re missing the point. The best communities aren’t about one person. They’re about collective ownership, shared responsibility, and mutual growth. My role isn’t to be the face—it’s to be a facilitator, a connector. It’s to help create conditions where others can rise, where leadership is distributed, and where no one person carries the burden of being the “leader.”
When we focus too much on having a single leader, we limit the potential of the community. We stifle the creativity that comes from collaboration. A community thrives when everyone feels ownership, when every person feels empowered to contribute, to lead in their own way. And that’s the kind of community I want to build.
Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about asking the right questions. It’s about listening. It’s about stepping back when needed and stepping in when necessary. It’s knowing when to lead and when to follow. It’s creating the kind of environment where people can find their own way, where they can step into their own leadership roles without needing permission.
The best leaders are the ones who make themselves unnecessary. They create a system where others can lead, where the community sustains itself through shared effort, trust, and collaboration. If I’m doing my job right, you won’t even notice I’m there. That’s the paradox of community leadership—the more you lead by stepping back, the stronger the community becomes.
The goal isn’t to create followers. It’s to create more leaders.
So no, I’m not the face of this community. I’m just one of many. My role is to help others step into their power, to create a platform for voices that need to be heard, to be a part of something bigger than myself. That’s what community leadership is: a collective journey, not a personal one.
In the end, the community doesn’t belong to one person. It belongs to everyone who contributes, who shows up, who cares. Leadership is a privilege, not a right. And the best leaders know when to get out of the way, so others can lead too.
That’s community leadership. It’s not about me. It’s about us.