Next week we will post episode 100, and I want you all to know they are all now available on my youtube channel at the link below.
Leadership is an apprenticed vocation! I came to that conclusion when I was writing my book, and I say it often, but it has a couple of aspects that require some discussion. A vocation is a calling, summons, or strong inclination to a particular state or course of action. An apprentice works for someone, usually to learn a trade. So, an apprenticed vocation is one where you work for someone in pursuit of a calling. You start as an apprentice, proceed to journeyman, and then master.
On the other hand, a profession requires expertise and specialized knowledge in a particular field, adheres to a set of standards, and has an ethical code. Examples of professions include lawyers, doctors, engineers, professors, clergy, and military members. I could write about twenty pages about the relationship of leader, professional, vocation, and apprentice; others have probably done so. That’s only part of my message, so yes, you can be a professional leader in an apprenticed vocation. These are roles; just like I said, a Marine Officer must be a Warrior-Leader-Patriot.
So, remember here that I use the word leader to describe those who inspire their followers to transcend to something greater than self and live a life of study, action, reflection, and refinement. In short, a leader is committed to the vocation of leadership. Vocation is specifically used to describe a religious calling from God. I could pull punches, but I don’t. That’s exactly how I see it. Now, I’m getting deep, so hang on; there is something useful here.
There are two roles to the apprenticed vocation. When a new leader has followers, they become a leader but are still an apprentice. When other leaders want to follow a leader, we find a master. Because leadership is nuanced by the field, industry, and organization, a leader can be a master at one level and an apprentice at another. The master understands this and, recognizing that she must learn and teach daily, willingly submits to an apprenticeship to learn where she is not a master while training her apprentices that which she has mastered. So a leader is both a master and apprentice, as the role requires learning and teaching.
So, this week consider what you need to learn and to whom you will apprentice for those lessons.
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Remember, “all things are possible through prayer and heavy deadlifts.”™