Time to talk about Leadership again… In my opinion this is a topic that can’t be discussed, nor scrutinized, often enough.
Tomorrow I am conducting a Leadership Training for a bunch of great potential future Leaders working in our Regional support functions. They are in for a couple of surprises… But I digress!
Why is it so hard for most of us to become natural leaders? I mean; Leaders that others want to follow and that others respect, not because the titles we hold, but because of the way we are? Why is this so hard? Well, in my opinion it is because we are not acting naturally. Leadership is nothing without a large pinch of sincerity. You will never gain respect as a leader if respect in itself is what you are looking for. I work with a lot of smart and ambitious people who are all striving to become great leaders and this is indeed a great privilege. However, those who try too hard don’t make it… Those who seek respect don’t make it… Those who consider themselves smarter than others don’t make it… Those who lack humility don’t make it… But those who genuinely are interested in other people and seek improvements within and in others, do make it!
Leadership is easy… as it requires only two ingredients:
- Common Sense
- Tough love (read: empathy and guts)
For most eager Leaders the recipe is to calm down… Don’t try so bloody hard. Be yourself, act naturally and seek not the approval of others but seek instead to understand. Understand circumstances, people and situations!
Get in the game… Work on yourself by not trying so hard… You are good enough!
Life, Business & Leadership! 