To Become a Leader, Think Beyond Your Role
Jim Barnish Jr.
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Making suggestions and giving advice are among the daily conversations many of us have while at the water cooler or lunch room. From what one employee should of done, to the flaws in our bosses, these are the norm in the workplace. In our jobs, we may be asked to give opinions on issues but are we really giving the best answer? When answering these types of questions it is often done with a limited perspective or is said without fully thinking about all the issues that our boss must consider when making an important decision. This type of opinion-giving may be well and fine in some positions but it does not constitute leadership. Leadership begins by taking in a larger perspective when figuring out what should be done - as if you were the owner. This may sound easy to some, but "thinking like an owner" is quite a difficult task.
Being in the shoes of the decision maker comes with a myriad of issues and intricacies that may put some off. However, it is your job to think this way, if you want to be a leader. A view as if you are the owner is the central idea to the effectiveness of your job and allows you gain conviction. Many striving to be leaders hinder on opposite ends of conviction. Either they are afraid of having such a strong point of view or spend their time trying to find a certain level of confidence. You don't always need to have the right answer, just a strive for a level of conviction on key issues with sound team judgment. With practice, you will learn what conviction feels like. True leaders embrace the challenge of ownership and encourage their teams to do so as well.
To read more on conviction & leadership, visit the original article here.
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