Look up the definition of leadership and it’s pretty boring…
It’s literally “the action of leading a group of people or an organization”. Helpful, right?
I found that a better picture of leadership was painted by looking through quotes…
“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things” – Peter Drucker
“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.” – John C. Maxwell
“Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in actions.” – Harold S. Green
“The quality of a leader is relfected in the standards they set for themselves.” – Ray Kroc
And maybe my favorite (but I’m biased)..
When there’s a commitment to a purpose beyond someone’s own self interest, the ability to recognize what should be done to serve that purpose, and the willingness to do it. – Nick Berry
When do you become a leader?
There are a few people out there who seem to be ‘natural leaders’. I don’t believe that leadership is a tallent that you are born with or you don’t have it. Leadership is a skill that you have to develop. It takes work and requires effort on your part to progress.
And as you grow as a business owner and leader you have to constatly be leveling up your game so that you don’t get left behind. Leading a bunch of guys on your church league softball team requires a lot less skill than leading a group of successful entreprenuers in your community.
You become a leader the day you decide to become a leader. It’s the start of your journey, if you choose it.
True Leadership Presence
You’ll notice the impact of your leadership skills when you are able to get results in your business through others. These results will get produced not only because you enforce the rules (that’s management) but rather because your team models your example.
Results happen because you are able to motivate your team to be the very best version of themselves.
A leader will be the one running toward the problems in your business instead of turning away from them hoping no one notices the smoke.
Acting like a Leader
If you want to be a great leader start with this…
- Ask the tough questions
- Focus on building up your team
- Realize the true impact of your decisions
- Keep your ego in check
- Incrase self awareness
- Invest in personal and professional development
- Have a healthy sense of optimism and true beleif in your plan
- Be courageous
- Be a great communicator
- Have a clear vision
- Protect your most valuable assets (time & people)
The “Overnight Success”
You may have heard other successful people say they “spent the last 10 years working to be an overnight success.” As a leader you have to be willing to invest the time and energy into developing your leadership muscles.
You won’t become a great leader overnight, but you can be a better leader today than you were yesterday!
Practice implementing the actions listed above to take yourself from techinician to manager to leader in your business.
Your Leadership Mentors
Here at Fitness Revolution we work hard at being better leaders. Our Leadership Team talks about leadership and pushes each other to continue to develop our leadership skills on a weekly basis.
Trying to become a leader on your own is difficult. You can make faster progress and have a better chance at success when you surround yourself with others who are trying to accomplish the same goals.
