Almost every single time that I have given in to my fear, I later regretted it. I knew I could have succeeded where my fear held me back. Yet, I still give in.
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I have watched leaders whom I truly admire just sit back and take it all in. They would listen to everyone’s opinions, gripes and everything else. The only time they would break their silence was to ask clarifying questions. Then after listening to all, they would share their decision. True wisdom isn’t just showing what you know.
I have been a student of servant style leadership for many years and serving those on my team is something I hold as a priority. Servant leaders are not meant to be submissive and weak; rather, using our talents and experience to set our team up for success. This quote from MJ helps me to place my thoughts into words. Leaders need to earn their role and that is done by caring for the team. I go to work everyday with the idea that my team is writing my EPR and I try to live up to their expectations more than those of my actual rater.
Introvert or extrovert. Charismatic or meek. Many of us our led to believe that how others project themselves is what makes them a great leader. Yes, personality will attract others to you, but what is keeping them there?
It is hard to believe it has already been 17 years. We have been at war with boots on the ground ever since that day. We have gone through so many changes in the services and HUGE societal issues all while staying focused on the mission. No matter what is going on around you, always remember you are battle-tested and proven leaders. Thank you all for your service and dedication!
One of the hardest things to do as a leader is to stand in front of your team and tell them you failed. However, we all make mistakes and need to own them quickly. Once we acknowledge our missteps, we can learn from them and move onto a smarter path for the next attempt. Our teams respect us more when we can admit we are not perfect and they are more likely to ask us for help when they make a mistake.
I still get angry at myself when I have to learn lessons the hard way. I love to read and learn from others and see many of their triumphs and their successes. However, so often I do not adopt the principles or practices to ensure I am not making the same mistakes. It is not until I fall into the pit myself that I finally realize the danger. We all fall down, but most of our falls could be avoided if we focus on the lessons others are trying to teach us.
“How was school?” …”Fine.” This is the response on most days as I drive home with my kids. Sometimes, they just don’t want to talk about their day and sometimes something bad happened. The trick is to look for the real meaning behind the words. This is why it is so important to look our team in the eyes as we speak to them and not rely on texts or emails.
Most of us struggle with telling someone ‘no’ or something else that could crush a dream or even just disappoint. We lead our friends on about something they want us to do with them, but we have no desire to do. Then when it becomes time to act, we make up lame excuses. Just like when you were a kid and broke something, the earlier you came clean the lighter the punishment. Be honest up front and it will be appreciated much more than an empty excuse later.
