Leader, are you aware of the privilege you have been given? The privilege to influence. The privilege to impact. The privilege to inspire. The privilege to equip. The privilege to encourage. The privilege to empower.

The privileges of leadership are many, but I would like to bring your attention to one privilege in particular:

You have the privilege of leveraging your platform for someone else's progress.

Whether you see it this way or not, as a leader, you have a platform.

You have the ability to: "voice one's views or initiate action" in a way that the people who you lead cannot. This platform may come in the form of authority, opportunity, resources, leverage, access, an email list, a website, a social media account, or even a physical stage, and it is this platform that allows you to get your job done.

Leader, you have a platform.

But, in addition to your platform, leader, you also have a choice.

You can use your platform primarily to pursue your prize, or, you can leverage your platform to propel someone on your team to a greater degree of progress and potential.

You can use your platform to make much of yourself, or, you can use your platform to make much of others.

You can use your platform as a book to tell your story, or, you can use your platform as an encyclopedia to tell the story of many.

My encouragement to you is this: give your platform away.

Give your platform away to the team member with potential. Give your platform away to the team member with experience. Give your platform away to the team member with drive.

Give your platform away to the young man or young woman in the next generation with passion. Give your platform away to the older man or older woman from a previous generation with wisdom. Give your platform away.

Give away authority. Give away opportunity. Give away resources. Give away leverage. Give away access. Give away stage time. Give away air time. Give away influence.

Give your platform away.

As you already know, there will come a day when you no longer have a platform. But, will it be because it was taken away or because it was given away? If it is because of the former, that is a tragedy. If it is because of the latter, you will leave a legacy.