Are You Going to Thrive as a Leader through this Current Crisis?

Leaders Model the Actions and Behaviors they Desire in their People.

A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent. -Douglas McArthur

In the world in which we currently live, there is an obvious and desperate need for genuine leadership. A void that is crying out to be filled.

Leadership that provides a strong, but calm, encouraging voice to help weather the current storm and safely deliver people to the other side. A leader that shows compassion and has an understanding of what people are going through in their daily lives — a willingness to carry the weight of leading and encouragement.

In the midst of this crisis, people are looking to YOU, the leader, to guide them and give them clarity. They’re looking for YOU, to determine whether or not they should be afraid, or calm based on YOUR leadership.

They want to know that YOU have a plan for the family, the team, or the company to survive this current crisis and then thrive and grow as they reach the other side.

As the leader, right now, you have a fantastic opportunity to model the actions and behaviors that you desire your family or people to demonstrate. To go first in exhibiting the spirit and determination that’s required to be successful during this time.

This kind of leadership is a lifestyle decision; It’s a decision to focus on learning and growing while also putting your family, team, or company first.

As Zig Ziglar put it, “If you will just help enough other people get what they want. You can have everything in life you want.”

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Survival requires a Vision.

“Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” -Warren Bennis

A vision for yourself, your family, and your team is an absolute must right now. Sit down and take the time to write down where you want to be a year, 5 years, and even 10 years from now.

This vision will provide you and the people you’re leading a sense of purpose and direction. It should explain where you’re going in the next few months as well as the next few years, and how you’re going to get there.

Your vision should inspire and create action to get things done, as well as a plan that you and your people can get behind and believe. Your team wants to know the story, your story, about why and where you’re going.

They want to know where you’re taking them. Explain your vision to them; they want to know so they can get behind it and help you get you there.

Over time, your vision will give you the confidence to accomplish what you once thought was impossible, and what I guarantee you your team is thinking is impossible.

Your failures and struggles will become insignificant as you realize that they’re just a part of the learning and growing process on your way to realizing your future.

If your WHY is big enough, you’ll be more motivated. If your WHY is big enough, you won’t give up. If your WHY is big enough, the obstacles will seem small and insignificant.

During survival mode, it can be hard to feel that you or the team are making progress and accomplishing goals. A vision keeps you, and the team focused and moving forward through the current obstacles.

Keep your vision handy, review it daily, and communicate it to your team often. Let them hear you verbalize it out loud over and over, “this is the plan, this is where we’re going, and here’s how we’re going to get there,” until you hear your people repeating it to each other.

A vision makes realizing future success much easier. You know where you’re going because you’ve been there hundreds of times in your mind. It creates an amazing focus on achieving goals daily as you’re not getting caught up in the toilet bowl of crisis management — because you know where you’re going.

You’ll become excited about decision making because your decision-making process becomes… “Is this decision moving me towards my vision, or away from it?”

Celebrate the Successes of your People!

“Celebrate the success of others as you would want others to celebrate yours. What goes around, comes around.” -Anonymous.

Why it’s Crucial to Celebrate Successes.

Recognizing and celebrating people’s success is a powerful motivator. It reinforces the purpose of all of the hard work, and it shows appreciation for the accomplishments of the individual and company goals. 

The celebration of people’s successes boosts their self-esteem, creating the willingness to do even more to accomplish personal as well as company goals and vision.

A celebration is about getting people together. Even though people communicate at work all year long, few take the time to really connect.

The number one reason people are unhappy with work isn’t the money; it’s feeling undervalued. It’s caused by leaders who won’t stop long enough to celebrate and acknowledge people’s efforts and hard work.

When people feel valued, there is absolutely nothing they won’t do to help the company be successful and reach their goals, otherwise known as LOYALTY.

It’s easy to forget that those significant achievements are made of many little successes. Celebrating those successes gives you, the leader, the opportunity to make your people feel like valued members of the team. Everyone wants to be a part of something bigger than themselves.

When you celebrate your people’s success, you help people associate “feeling good” with “ their work, their job.” That, my friend, is what real leadership is all about. That creates the kind of loyalty that every CEO in the country would love to have.

Do What You Say… Your Yes is Yes, and Your No is No.

“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” -Coach John Wooden

Which is more important? Who you are, or who people think you are?

Character is the distinct moral qualities of an individual. Google defines it like this — People who are considered to have good character have traits like integrity, honesty, courage, loyalty, fortitude, and other important virtues that cause people to want to follow them. These character traits define who they are as a leader — and highly influence the choices they make in their life.

Reputation is the beliefs or opinions that are generally held about someone or something. Google says — the factors that influence a person’s reputation include honesty, knowing the difference between right and wrong, sound judgment, self-control, fairness, respect, ethics, and loyalty.

Please don’t fall into the bottomless pit of thinking or, worse, believing that your reputation defines success.

Your character is and will always be far more critical in defining your success as a leader. Your character defines who you are. Character is who you are when no one is looking or watching, regardless of the circumstances you’re currently going through.

Your reputation, on the other hand, is nothing more than what people think and believe about you. It’s far more about perceptions.

You’re a leader of people; people who are scared or concerned about the future — their future. Be more concerned about your character than you are about your reputation. Lead and care for your people.

Your reputation will take care of itself because your reputation is a by-product of your character. If you are of strong character, your leadership decisions will say everything about who you are.

Even if someones makes derogatory remarks about you or your leadership, it will be meaningless because nobody will believe them.

Your character and leadership aren’t going to be judged by what you say you believe, or what you say about how people should act; your character and leadership will be judged by how you actually live your life.

You Must Step Up and Lead

True leaders do not take refuge in self-pity. They take responsibility, step up, and change things for the better. — Steve Gutzler

In the middle of uncertainty and crisis, as the LEADER, you must step up and lead. The question you must ask yourself is, am I going to step up and be the leader my family or my people need?

I think it’s safe to assume that if you’re reading this article, that you desire to be that leader. I continue to be amazed that leadership shows up in the strangest places, at the weirdest times, in the most unlikely people.

Here are some questions to contemplate and answer in your journal:

• Who will SUFFER if I don’t step up and become the leader? Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally?
• Who or what’s at RISK if I don’t LEARN and GROW and BECOME the leader I could and should be?
• Am I letting FEAR and UNCERTAINTY rob me of the opportunity to lead myself, my family, and the people who need me, successfully?
• Have the words of our culture, or someone close to me convinced me that I’m not a LEADER?
• What would have to happen for me to STEP UP and lead, right now?
• Am I going to LEAD through this crisis and win?

Let your real INNER VOICE speak to you, and tell you the TRUTH. I believe the truth that you’ll hear is that you are much STRONGER than you think, and you’re a much better leader than you believe.

“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly” — Robert F. Kennedy

Right now, people are living in fear, waiting for YOU as a leader to step up and lead them. To guide them, to tell them, “Come go with me!!”

They need a leader that will encourage them and convince them that they can THRIVE and be SUCCESSFUL even in times like these.

“You only fail, if you refuse to get back up.” — Jack Mints

Leadership shows up out of a desire to help people. It still amazes me that people are willing to do more for someone that believes in them than they’ll for themselves.

Leaders motivate, inspire, and encourage people to take action to do things they don’t think they can do, but are willing to try because a leader (like you) says, “You can do this, I believe in you!”

Then, because you said it, they believe it, and they go do it!

John Quincy Adams said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.”

You are the leader? Don’t allow FEAR and UNCERTAINTY to keep you from being and becoming the leader you were meant to be.

Come On, STEP UP, and Release your INNER LEADERSHIP BEAST!!