“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of convenience and comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Leaders care more for others than for themselves (they genuinely love people and want to see them grow into the best versions of themselves) …
I heard a story a while back about an eagle. It flew over a river one winter and noticed a large chunk of ice floating in the water. The eagle landed on the ice to relax for a minute. He had eagle eyes so he could see a waterfall up ahead. He could hear the roar of the cascading falls downstream. But he knew he had plenty of time to fly away once he got closer. So he stayed hanging out relaxed on the chunk of ice. But as the eagle stood on the ice, his talons froze to it. As he spread his wings up to fly away, he went nowhere. He was stuck to the chunk of ice. He had waited too long, and he plunged fatally over the falls on his chunk of ice!
You are a leader by position, function, and choice. What you do with that responsibility is up to you. You are ultimately responsible for those within your domain. If you’re not effectively leading those under your charge, they will choose to not let you lead them anymore. And they might not just quit and find employment elsewhere, but they will make your role living heck!
You can lead those under your care to safety or drive them to harm. But to sit and wait passively when there are problems all around, or not do anything about other toxic people on your team affecting everybody else is a choice made for future destruction.
As a leader, you must make the same choices every day as to how you will show up. Leading others (and yourself) well is a lifelong skill forged through faithfulness to yourself and Team, and a dedication to being a continuous grower and learner. A leader chooses daily to give his all to listen, love, and lead others well.
My questions for you…
1. How are you showing up for those under your charge today?
2. Do your people know that they are safe under your charge, have opportunity for growth, and that you have THEIR best interests at the forefront of your leadership in the choices you make? (I know, I cheated there with multiple questions)
3. How do your daily actions align with your words?
4. Have you failed at either leading yourself or others well in the past?
5. What steps can you start taking today towards consistent leadership?
The good news is it’s never too late to work on becoming a world class leader. Start by turning your best intentions into consistent actions. Your people will recognize your efforts right away. They deserve to be led well!