Three Reasons You Can't Wing High-Impact Leadership

It's shocking to consider how we've normalized winging it in leadership.

Leadership is not only a skillset and "intelligence" all of it's own, but it's also a company's most important and influential asset; and yet few companies provide any support or development along the way. Instead they send newer leaders off to do the most important job in the company with no training on how to thrive instead of just survive it.

Similarly, ambitious entrepreneurs rarely consider the role and impact of their leadership in their company's ability to grow faster, easier, and more sustainably (even if it's already thriving).

As a result, vast amounts of potential, productivity, innovation, and ultimately bottom-line revenue are left untapped.

The High-Performer Misconception

So why is this? Why is there such a widespread neglect of the skills, mindsets, strategies and growth that have the potential to unlock exponential results for individuals and companies alike?

First and foremost there's is a huge misconception that high-performers automatically make great leaders. They're clever, ambitious, and can generally pick up everything else, so why should leadership be any different?

But the more I work with incredibly intelligent, talented, and driven individuals, the clearer it becomes that these qualities have very little correlation with great leadership.

Regardless of how high-performing an individual is, winging leadership creates a glass ceiling over their own, their team's, and/or their company's potential.

Let's look at a few of (many) reasons why:

1. The qualities that make high-performing individuals quite often oppose qualities that make great leaders. Competitiveness, fierce independence, stubbornness, moving faster than others, to name a few. If you haven't deeply examined and integrated the "shadow side" of your personal strengths, they're likely blocking your potential as an exceptional leader.
2. Great leadership is often counter-intuitive and will go against some of your deepest instincts. It's a completely foreign way of thinking, relating, and operating; leading from engrained instincts based on what's worked in the past will leave you often missing the mark and will create big leaks in your leadership.
3. Only 15% of leaders have level of self-awareness required to effectively lead their teams. Statistically, it's highly likely that you could use some work when it comes to the #1 skill of effective leadership. And while self-awareness is something that takes intentional development, it's what unlocks the higher levels of influence, impact, and results currently lying latent within you.

Another incorrect assumption to note: Time and experience also do not automatically = leadership greatness or even growth. I've worked with seasoned leaders who were still missing some of the most basic leadership skills and principles after years of leading others.

I share all of this so that we can let go of these harmful common misconceptions that have left leaders at all levels under-skilled, under-performing, and often unnecessarily struggling.

It's Time to Respect & Hone Your Craft

While the vast majority of leaders will maintain a complacent attitude of, "if it's not broken, don't fix it," when it comes to their leadership - if you have a big vision for yourself, your evolution, and the impact you're here to create - it's time for a shift.

It's time to stop treating leadership as a "soft skill," a second-thought, or a luxury you'll get to once you have the time (we all know how that goes!).

Instead, treat it as your craft; respect it as your most valuable skillset and it will pay-off in ways you can't currently imagine.

Not only will intentionally developing yourself as a leader put you on a trajectory of results most leaders will never touch, you'll also experience a confidence, fulfillment, and solidity in yourself that ripples out into every area of your life.

Ready to Unlock Your Leadership Greatness?

If you're curious about what stepping into your personal brand of high-impact leadership would look like, and what it could create for you in terms of specific, tangible results, let's chat!