I have struggled as a business leader over the past several years and I have learned many,many and many important life lessons on what a business leader does and how their footprint can be left for a very long time or how their small whisper can be heard thousands of miles away.
I have made critical mistakes, said the wrong thing, zigged when I should have zagged, stir up crap when I needed to let things settle down and showed up late when I needed to be early.
As a leader you are always under the microscope. It doesn’t matter if you are joking around with your peers, presenting to your board of directors or in the line up at the local grocery store…you are always a leader and always being watched.
What I have learned is a leader never publicly critiques directives or plans from others, instead a leader recognizes the issue and then offers up solutions and solicits feedback from their team. A leader always leads by example, a leader keeps the welfare of their team ahead of their own and a leader leads. Sometimes a leader needs to make fast decisions without stuttering and continuing to instill confidence in those around them.
In the military, it was drilled into us the 10 principles of being a leader. Running a computer business, networking in the community or hosting a team meeting with your executives and management team is not unlike being in combat. Leadership under stressful situations reveals character, it doesn’t build it.
Are you the type which publicly puts down what others are doing? Are you the type which questions everything? How about being a leader who open his mouth and inserts foot? That was me and this sometimes is still me. However, as I mature in business I am quickly beginning to realize what the top 10% of leaders do and what the 90% wannabees hope to achieve but stumble. I am still in the 90% percent, but hanging around a few 10% will get me into the 10%. I know it.
What kind of leader are you? Look at some of your recent emails? How about things you didn’t agree with, how did you react?
Ulistic focuses on serving the needs of Canadian Small Business, REALTORS, and Information Technology firms across Canada and United States. Helping your business understand, deploy and leverage social media, search engine optimization and online communications to generate business opportunities and make an impact inside your community and industry.
"We had Stuart speak to a number of our Consultants about the use of Social Media. We received excellent feedback from all of the attendees as time well spent. Thanks Stuart."
#HTG #YYC #REDDEER As a leader, you are always being watched!: I have struggled as a business leader over the past s… http://bit.ly/4rk9u7
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
A leader has many qualities but perhaps the most important is that they successfully guide and influence (lead) the actions of others to reach a favourable outcome. A leader sets in motion the actions of others who rely on the leader’s ability to draw out the very best ideas & efforts of the group or team and build enough consensus to coordinate the group’s actions and successfully reaching the goal. Sometimes that occurs through the leaders individual actions but more often than not it is through influencing the actions of others. To me the greatest challenge to being a successful leader is staying the course by rising up and meeting all challenges overcoming the many diversions, trips and stumbles and motivation swings. Keeping people focused and committed day in and day out builds the groups culture and establishes the leadership base necessary for longer term reign