Leadership is a buzz word. People all over the world want to be a leader. Some look up to leaders. But many miss the connection of what it means to have leadership. I want to talk about three ways I have found success as a leader and hopefully you can relate.
1. Be a risk-taker
I’m not afraid of taking risks anymore. When I graduated college I took a job at a church and thought my career path was defined. My five-year plan was to serve as a youth leader and then eventually start working as director at the local association offices for churches in my denomination. A series of circumstances grinded all my dreams to a halt. And it was in that moment I was faced with two choices: take a regular job and keep pursuing church ministry, or taking a giant risk and move across the country and find a job in an entirely new career and industry.
Oh and did I mention I was married and we had a newborn?
So we bet the farm, risked it all, sold everything we owned and moved across country from Phoenix, Arizona to Nashville, Tennessee. And while it wasn’t exactly a cake walk, things slowly began to fall into place and my dreams began to be realized. But most importantly the risk I took paid off in the end.
Since that experience I have taken risks in my workplace, with freelance jobs and as a parent. The older I get, though, the easier it becomes to be status quo. I encourage you to fight the trend and stay a risk-taker because great things happen to those who believe you can actually make it.
2. Dig your foxhole
I love Band of Brothers. It is seriously one of the best war movies ever created and one of the only ones I have ever balled my eyes out like a little baby. One of the more vivid scenes in my mind was when the guys had to dig their foxholes in the dead of winter. They didn’t have any winterized equipment, they were low on food, water and medical supplies, and they were outnumbered by the enemy. But they had a mission to dig in and not let the enemy advance.
So they dug their foxholes and accomplished their mission.
Leadership requires you to dig deep to protect yourself, but know the entire time you are vulnerable to the fire that comes with the position. People will fight you, people will wound you. You’ll feel like there are no supplies to heal those wounds. And you’ll definitely feel the stings of bullets whether they be words or actions shot with a large dose of negativity, hate, bitterness, jealousy, or even rage.
But you have a mission to accomplish. And a great leader will see the end result and trench in.
3. Get dirt on your cuffs
C.S. Lewis once wrote that it is difficult to walk through the muck without getting dirty.
Providing good leadership accepts this as a reality and is okay with that. There will be times where there are no clear answers. There will be time where dealing with people will leave relationships hanging and problems with no resolution.
BeachBody guru, Tony Horton, often recites a familiar phrase, “Do your best and forget the rest.” In the design world there is a series of posters, shirts and more created with the line, “Keep calm and carry on.” These both resonate with me. You’re going to get dirt on your cuffs some days. And you’ll wonder if it’s worth it. How people could lack common sense. Why people don’t understand your point of view. And you’ll wonder when the light at the end of the tunnel will arrive.
Each of these points means you are working in leadership. To not have these issues to deal with, means you are probably not a strong leader.
My philosophy over the various leadership roles I have been a part of in the past several years is to simply go with the flow and know it will get dirty. Sometimes it might stain you even, but someone who wants to remain in leadership can’t let this deter them, and instead must rise up to the challenge and believe in themselves and the gifts that God has given them.
And if you don’t like getting dirt on your cuffs, then roll up your sleeves.
