The 'Ship' in Leadership – A Call to Heart-Led Leadership

You know what? I'm tired of the same ole shit everyone keeps spouting about leadership. All that surface-level talk – the fancy titles, the buzzwords, the ego trips – but they never get to the heart of it. Well, enough. There's always another level beyond that BS, and today we're going there. I'm taking leadership out of the shallow end and straight into the deep, and I've got a whole sermon for you – so I hope you're ready.

They talk about leadership like it's a quick fix or a shiny badge, skimming the surface and calling it a day. Too many people reduce leadership to positions and perks, never touching the soul of it. They forget that leadership lives in the heart, not in some boardroom title. True leadership is personal, it’s spiritual, and it’s rooted in something real. It's about your own transformation, your alignment with a purpose bigger than you, and the truth of who you are and where you come from.

Let’s break down that very word: lead-er-ship. Everyone loves to talk about the leader – the “-er”, the person at the front – but no one talks about the ship. So let's talk about it. Who or what is the ship in leadership? Where are we sailing it, and why? I'll tell you: the ship is the people, the journey, the collective mission we carry. Leadership isn’t just about you or me as the leader; it’s about that vessel full of souls and dreams that we are responsible for.

Picture a ship out on the open ocean, navigating through a raging storm. Leadership is being the captain of that ship. When the waves tower and the sky is black, you're the one at the helm steering through chaos. In calm waters, anyone can hold the wheel, but in the storm the real leader stands steady on deck. You have lives in your hands – your crew, your people – all trusting you to guide them to safety. A true leader doesn’t abandon ship in the tempest; they face the wind, adjust the sails, and keep going until they reach calmer seas.

You can feel the weight of that responsibility like an anchor in your gut. This isn’t just a job – it’s a sacred duty. Lives, hopes, and futures are tied to your decisions. That kind of leadership is heavy, holy work. And it has nothing to do with some fancy title or paycheck. True leadership isn’t about a title at all – it’s about leaving something better than you found it​ rubielifestyle.com. It’s about the legacy you create, the safety you bring, and the souls you uplift by the time the journey is done.

You don’t need a CEO title to be a leader. Everyone – everyone – is a leader in their own right. If you're a parent raising a child, you're leading. If you're a friend who always steps up for others, you're leading. If you're a community activist fighting for change, you're leading. We all have a ship to steer, no matter how small or humble it may seem. Leadership is for all of us.

Before you can steer anyone else’s ship, you’ve got to captain your own. In other words: lead yourself first. This is where personal transformation comes in. You have to face your own storms – the fears, the flaws, the wounds – and grow through them. A leader isn’t born at the helm; a leader is forged in the fire of life's trials. You get polished by adversity and guided by grace. It's an inner journey of refinement, a process of becoming stronger, wiser, and more compassionate. Only by doing that inner work do you earn the right to guide others.

I call this inner journey RUBIE – Refining Under Beloved Infinite Energy. RUBIE is more than an acronym; it's a way of life and leadership. It means allowing the infinite energy of love – God, the universe, whatever you call it – to refine you into your highest self. It’s believing that your raw life, with all its mess and chaos, can be transformed into something powerful and purposeful​ rubielifestyle.com. Living as a R.U.B.I.E. means embracing transformation without fear – digging deep, shedding what doesn’t serve you, and stepping boldly into your infinite potential. This is how you cultivate deep, soul-rooted leadership: by aligning with that beloved infinite energy and letting it guide your evolution. When you lead from that place, your leadership isn’t just a role – it’s an extension of your soul.

History gives us powerful proof of heart-led leadership. Think of Harriet Tubman – a Black woman born enslaved, with no rank or official title, who became one of the greatest leaders of the 19th century. After escaping to freedom, she risked her life again and again to guide dozens of others out of slavery. She navigated by night through hostile territory, and she famously said she “never lost a passenger” on her Underground Railroad​ en.wikipedia.org. What gave her that courage? Harriet believed she was guided by divine visions, by a voice of God in her soul. She led from the heart, fueled by faith and purpose. And when the Civil War came, she didn’t stop – she became the first woman in U.S. history to lead an armed military raid, liberating over 700 enslaved people in a single night. Now that is true leadership. No title, no accolades – just a woman, a mission, and an unshakeable belief in the freedom and dignity of her people.

Harriet’s story is just one example – time and again, transformational leaders rise from the most marginalized communities. Those at the bottom, the oppressed and underestimated, are often the ones who light the way for others. The torch they carried now passes to us. You may not be leading an underground railroad, but maybe you're leading your family through a tough time, or organizing your neighborhood for change, or mentoring someone who needs hope. The same beloved energy that guided Harriet resides in you. The same courage and compassion are waiting in your heart, ready to be activated. The question is: will you answer that call to lead?

The world today is hungry for this kind of authentic leadership. We need leaders – in homes, in schools, in offices, in the streets – who lead with their hearts on fire and their souls grounded in truth. It's not enough to talk about it; we have to embody it. Embodied leadership means you live your values openly – you become the example, the walking inspiration. Heart-led leadership means every decision you make flows from compassion, integrity, and love. This kind of leadership is fierce and fearless. It’s not the loud commanding voice of authority, but the quiet, unshakable strength of a heart aligned with purpose. When you lead like this – from the core of your being – you light up everyone around you.

It's time to rise. No more playing small or standing on the sidelines. The leader in you is ready to awaken. Your ship is waiting for its captain. Your family, your community, this world – they need you at the helm, fully present and committed. So stand tall in your truth, and let your heart lead the way. Let that beloved infinite energy fill your sails and guide you through every storm. This is your call to rise into embodied, heart-led leadership – the kind of leadership that changes everything. Step up and answer it.