The current presidential race got me thinking about what truly makes a strong, powerful and trusted leader in the world.
For the purposes of this writing, let’s leave opinions about the candidates’ abilities at the moment up to the media at large and Saturday Night Live.
Instead, let’s focus on your leadership abilities on how you become a leader in your own life, at work, at home, and in your community.
Why?
Because great leaders inspire change.
In my quest to find out what people think great leadership consists of, I discovered that not everyone has the same 'list'.
In fact, I’ve been in deep thought about what my 'list' looks like.
Everything special or extraordinary I ever produced in my life came on the heels of a dare I had for myself or overcoming some sort of fear. (For sure out of fear!)
So what the heck, I dare you to define leadership as fearlessly as I do, and then, go for it.
WHAT MAKES A GREAT LEADER?
You have a defined purpose. Your vision is locked into your gut. You know who you are and what you need to say.
You walk your talk and do your own personal work to keep growing and progressing.
You talk and talk. You want to lead and be followed.
Your mission is for a higher purpose. A force for good.
You set an example. In other words, you put yourself through something to turn your ordinary into extraordinary, publicly.
You are transparent. You don’t hide things. People are allowed to know you, inside and out. The good, the bad, and yes, the ugly!
You defy odds and set new standards. Stay humble and push for a better way.
So, are you living your true mission?
Do you know people like this?
Sure, it’s a rigid, impressive and perhaps not easily achievable list.
Except, if you’ve got any interest in it's pursuit, give these points a moment of ponder as you step up and into being a powerful, purposeful leader in your own life.
Chicken Out
"Why did the chicken cross the road?"
Well, you know how that goes . . .
You cannot be a chicken and a great leader at the same time.
If you are afraid of being judged or worried about what people think about you, you will never be proud and confident in your life.
Being a leader means people will look at you, watch you more closely and yes, judge you.
There is no way around it.
Leaders are judged to a greater degree than followers.
We know how strongly we judge, we fear being judged by others.
Just know you are going to be judged and busy yourself with setting standards that YOU want to meet and then meeting them.
Own your Shit!
Whenever I own my shit or cop to something, as soon as I say it out loud, its validity is now in question and communication and leadership can be restored!
Once it’s verbalized, it’s as if something about the words mixing with the air changes it and it becomes . . . absurd.
Calm down everyone! I will get back to leading! And not from a place of arrogance or better than, but from a place grounded in my own integrity, meaning and purpose.
I know I’m not perfect, and as a leader, I made the promise to always look for my 'weaknesses' and mistakes and own them. Learn from them.
Telling the truth and owning what doesn’t work about you, keeps you trustworthy, safe and authentic to those around you.
Even Batman had Robin
Great leaders are not controlling or like 'Batman".
They know when to ask for help and delegate.
They are team players who let others rise up around them.
I can be stubborn at this level of leadership.
I like [trying] to do everything myself, but it never works out for me.
I end up getting overwhelmed, start dropping balls and people begin to stop trusting me.
And BTW, there is no such quality as Multi-tasking.
It's a made up aspiration.
Absurd actually.
You never do any ONE thing great!
Delegating brings any 'team' closer together.
It provides another layer of trust and purpose for everyone in the tribe!
Leadership is an Art.
There are as many sayings about leadership as there are leadership styles.
Regardless, a great leader puts his/her vision into action.
Find a leader, a mentor, a coach.
When you find one, follow.
Associate with leaders as often as you can. (When you're around them, write things down!)
If you want to lead, you have to serve.
So, serve yourself first, it all starts there anyway.
So, check your list.
Check it twice.
If you’re interested in becoming a leader in your life, reach out to me here and we'll get you on your right path.
What are you waiting for anyway?
Make the decision that will move you forward.
Click 'Contact' and reach out to me. We'll get on a call and figure it all out.
Much love,
Lucia