It doesn’t do much good to constantly gush over “Leadership.”
Don’t get us wrong, Leadership matters. Just ask anyone who has ever had to work with a lousy leader. Most, and likely all, of us have had the chance to work for someone who just could not lead effectively.
The reason why? Leadership is hard work.
Being a leader means being the person willing to take full accountability for an enterprise. It means being the one that gets blamed, or maybe even fired, if something goes wrong. Man… all that responsibility. That can shake the nerves of even the most confident individuals!
Furthermore, being a leader means not always being liked. Remember the quote from Lincoln; “You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”. As a leader, you have to be the person steering the ship and that means saying yes to some projects and stopping others in their tracks. It’s no fun being the Disappointer in Chief. It’s just a part of leadership, and great leaders understand this role and communicate the larger vision over and over again in order to solicit ideas that move the vision forward rather than those that unnecessarily add to the scope of the business or the project.
Another not so great part of being a leader? Just like being a parent, you are “on” all of the time. Everyone watches you and having a bad day, or just a couple of hours where it looks like your mind is wandering gets noticed, it sets the tone. And the tone doesn’t just disappear. If a leader has a bad Monday, by Wednesday everyone will still be walking on eggshells.
So we get it. Leadership isn’t easy. The pressures of being in charge and being a role model get to people. And THAT is why leaders need support. There are a number of coaching practices in the world focusing on different niche areas – from business development to marketing strategies to relationships. At Edge of Change, we know that “leadership” often seems like a big gelatinous concept, and we strive to work with leaders to take the sticky, messy parts of leadership away and solidify it into sustainable practices that make a difference not just for the team but for the leader as an individual. After all, unlike marketing practices or business development, leadership doesn’t stop in the board room.
Become a more effective leader and you will see positive changes rippling through your life – at home, at work, and in your community.
Receive a complimentary Coaching Strategy Session to clarify and refine your goals.
Call me today at 541-344-8639