Too many times people within the ranks of organisations feel powerless because they aren’t in a traditional leadership position and don’t have the power that comes along with a title.  They feel their ideas will be ignored or worse yet, don’t even offer up suggestions because, well, why should they bother?  They’re just a… (fill in the blank here).

We are potentially missing a significant opportunity.  One that can be harnessed through a simple change in our corporate language to signal that leadership isn’t just reserved for the CEO and Senior Managers.  An acknowledgement that leadership falls within the responsibility of every person.  Each of us is capable of being a leader — no matter what our circumstances.  As a result, we all have the power to influence the direction and success of our organisations.

The Hunger Project sees this at work every day through our village partners in India, Africa, Latin America and Bangladesh.  They are living proof that leadership comes in all shapes, sizes and backgrounds — and some of the most powerful leaders do not fit the traditional mould.

So how does The Hunger Project unlock the power of these unlikely leaders?  We do it by encouraging a switch of their mind set and language from ‘I can’t’ to ‘I can’ and by giving them the knowledge that they have the skills, tools and resources to achieve success.  We ask them to rethink what’s possible and, more importantly, to see possibilities in the impossible.

They are challenged to create a vision for their community and to make the commitment to actions that will achieve the vision. From this vision comes leadership.  They become active in determining the path that their community will take in the fight to end their own hunger rather than sitting back and letting it happen to them.

If our village partners can rise to the occasion and lead from the back – what is stopping us?

Is it our determination that leadership is for those that have climbed the corporate ladder and ‘proved themselves’?  Or is it that we are afraid to lose control over the direction and the vision we have created in our organisation?  Maybe it’s because the (often blurred) line between management and leadership has caused us to redefine leadership as something exclusive?

Awakening the leader in each person, no matter where they sit within an organisation, can be revolutionary depending on the circumstances.  We have only to look to the example set by the women leaders working with The Hunger Project in India.

The woman who becomes empowered to lead her community brings her village access to clean water, electricity and better food security – completely changing the way in which people live within the community.  This person might not fit into the definition we have of a leader: most are uneducated and some have never left the confines of their villages, but their drive and determination to change the course of their future and that of their community offer some of the most shining examples of leadership that we can find.

So how can you get your workforce to engage?  You can begin by asking them to rethink what’s possible in their lives — both personally and professionally.  Allow them to uncover, understand and change the thinking that is holding them back from delivering of their best.

What does a business have to gain from rethinking what is possible?  Levels of engagement would definitely increase – as well as levels of responsibility and connection to the organisation.  And we know that engagement and connection within an organisation creates optimal organisation health.

So who are your leaders?  And how is your organisation set up to unlock their potential?  If you start to ask more of people, you may be surprised by the potential you unleash.