Leadership - It's in YOU!

I have a friend that is struggling with leadership right now. He feels a great deal of pressure to lead and step up to the plate in a job that he has had for many years. Times have changed a bit in his organization and now there is tremendous opportunity for him to lead.

The problem...he doesn't see it in himself to step up and lead. Even though he has been leading for a long time. He has the qualities. He has a vision for what he wants his team to do and understands the mission that drives the organization. Others see it in him. He doesn't see it in himself.

Not everyone was born to be a leader. For some, leadership is a natural calling, for others it comes with experience, time, trial, and error. For some it's in their DNA, some learn it and gain leadership through experience. I would also agree that there are a number of people that are in leadership positions that should not be. More in some organizations than others I am sure.

But what do you do when others see in you what you do not see yet in yourself? I say yet because I think once someone else sees it in you, you can't deny it's there for very much longer. It will begin to show and reveal itself to you in more and more ways. I think this is true for leaders, even when they think they are not leading, they are. And they are probably doing it quite well.

So how do you get comfortable bringing out the leader in you? Start small and stay consistent. Don't change how you do things, continue to work harder and smarter on how you what you do well. Begin to look for little glimpses in yourself of what is already there. Journal it, document it somehow and learn from it. Get comfortable stretching yourself further in those situations.

There's a leader in you that is waiting to come out....suppressing it only sets you off in the wrong direction, and you and your organization will lose your vision, mission, and purpose, quickly.

Don't fear the leader already in you.

Ownership

Recently I have noticed something taking place in business conversations.

Lots of assumptions and excuses are being made about how businesses will be impacted by the economy. Owners seem to be looking to everyone but themselves for reasons as to why things are "slow" for them. I have talked to a few business owners that seem to "get it." They know they are in for the long haul and that if they want to stay in business - they, themselves will figure out how to do it. The problem though is that a lot of small business owners do not seem to want to take this type of ownership in their businesses when the going gets tough.

Ownership is a big thing with me. Being responsible is another. I am not a fan of owners that assume they have all the answers about their business but even more so I really have a difficult time with owners that place blame or offer excuses. This includes things like not knowing or understanding key elements of what makes your business successful. How can you not take ownership and capitalize on the things that really make a difference in your business?

After all - you got yourself into this, how can you not take ownership to either make it work OR call it quits and move on to the next "thing" that may be for you?

Seriously folks, the economy is what it is (for now) and what you have to do is to know more about what works in your business more than any consultant, coach, financial planner, banker, CPA, lawyer or any other professional you seek advice from. YOU need to take ownership.


Once you get the concept of ownership down...you will be setting off in a direction that will lead to success.