5 Unstoppable Leadership Tips
1. Become Discouragement-Proof
Discouragement only exists within our own thinking. The more we can embrace a learner’s mindset, and get curious, the less control frustration / overwhelm / discouragement has over our internal state of mind.2. Stop Doing It All Yourself
The key to addressing chaos of organizations and reducing overwhelm is to delegate. Delegate not to burden others but to develop others. Learn to ask for help and give people an opportunity to amaze themselves and you. It’s the path to sustainable leadership and thriving organizations.
3. Being Rather Than Doing
Busyness is not a sign of productivity. Effectiveness is. Don’t always be busy. Find your middleground, slow down to assess “Am I being busy or being productive?” Reflect on the type of leader you aspire to be – how would they handle the situation or workload?
When someone asks you “How’s it going?” do you respond, “busy” or snap back with a frustrated comment? Who you are being in the moment speaks volumes over what you are doing. In order to be an effective leader, it’s not about some pursuit of perfection – that’s a fool's game, it’s about making progress.
Progress Over Perfection
4. Go Upstream & Look For Systems Solutions
Finding fault in the individual is the easy way out and will fool you into thinking you’re doing your job. A true leader pauses, steps back, listens with curiosity and takes a systems-approach. If your results are perfectly designed for the systems in place, then think about how you can change the system to prevent that error or to cause better results. See the potential and opportunity in a problem.
The problem isn’t the problem, it’s the result of the system’s design.
Go upstream to the structure that caused that result - think: training, onboarding, policy language, faulty design… not a faulty individual.
5. Seek Potential, Not Problems
We all have been faced with NO as an answer but did we let it derail our motivations or did we see it as a ‘No for now’?
We’ve all been ridiculed for asking a question but did we see it as a response to the other person feeling threatened?
People and situations have an opportunity to be a YES eventually with the right amount of time and information. Don’t jump to the conclusion that someone’s problems or objections are impossible to overcome. See the potential in people and systems.
Bonus. Tomorrow is Another Day
Take care of yourself and come back tomorrow. Think progress over perfection.
