As stated elsewhere, leadership is relevant everywhere and engages us all. Below are some specific examples of leadership roles in a diverse collection of settings:

1. The head of a household:

• manages family finances
• manages maintenance of the home
• makes investment choices and investment management decisions
• decides how to protect the household
• arranges for the education of minors
• arranges for the health care of all dependents

2. A college student:

• decides how and when to study
• makes arrangements to finance education including loan and part time work applications
• selects course work with a view to expanding own horizons and developing sufficient knowledge to gain employment or pursue higher level studies
• engages in extracurricular activities for enhanced exposure to areas of personal interest

3. Parent in unplanned pregnancy:

• decides whether to have the child
• decides whether to commit to being a parent or place the child in another's care
• decides how best to provide for the child's developmental needs
• determines how to balance personal development (additional education, job training) with the current and future needs of the child
• seeks to create a support infrastructure

4. Executive hired to turn around an ailing company:

• assesses the performance of junior and senior employees and decides which are performing well and which poorly
• assesses the firm's offerings (products and services) and decides which should be discontinued
• determines which global and industry trends are of greatest relevance to the firm
• re-engineers offerings as needed
• placates clients and suppliers if deemed necessary
• fires people who harm the firm's interests
• trades off risk and return among investment choices

5. Athlete:

• finds a coach and or team
• commits to a training schedule
• learns about own body and makes the choices necessary to maintain peak performance
• formulates strategy for winning
• makes real-time tactical decisions on the court or field with the objective of winning the contest
• in team play, leads by example
• makes a social impact by becoming a community role model

6. Artist:

• chooses a medium through which to express self
• decides what to create
• makes a social statement in selection of materials and subject matter
• challenges the establishment with creative interpretations
• inspires others with aesthetic and or dramatic presentations

7. Medical practitioner:

• commits to a life of service
• continuously studies latest techniques
• makes critical life and death decisions during emergency treatment
• guides patients through difficult decisions
• instructs patients and their care givers with a view to protecting and nurturing patients

8. Politician:

• formulates a platform of policies designed to respond to the needs of constituents
• campaigns fiercely during elections
• makes policy and legislative decisions consistent with personal and community needs and values
• inspires competing or warring parties to follow a unified cause
• mediates conflicts

9. Leader of religious congregation:

• commits to a life of service
• accepts the tenets of chosen religion and lives life according to strict codes of behavior
• inspires others to explore spirituality
• supports members of congregation through happy and sad times
• confronts tyrants and others whose behavior is inconsistent with religious code of conduct

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