Every Decision Affects Your Leadership

Every decision you make impacts your leadership. You can learn about someone by looking at the decisions they make. Decisions that are well thought-out and made with integrity are always the best. The results may not always be what you expected or wanted, but you can rest easy that you made the best decision you could. Your decisions show people who you are. People notice how you make decisions and why you make them. If the people you lead know you have the best intentions and have integrity, they will trust you and believe in you. If people support and buy-in to you as a leader, they will support and buy-in to the decisions you make.

Your Leadership Affects Every Decision

Your leadership affects every decision you make. Your knowledge, skills, and experiences are built-in to your decision-making process. If leadership is present in the decision-making process, it's going to be a well thought-out decision. If you are an inexperienced leader, your decisions may reflect that. You may want to seek out a more experienced person's opinion or input. If you're experienced, you may be able to make a decision on your own.

Life-Long Learning

Leadership is so simple, yet takes a lifetime to master. The concept is easy to understand, but the process of implementing it and living it is never-ending. The idea of life-long learning is you will be better tomorrow than you are today. The process of life-long learning is a lifestyle, a way of life. If you commit to being a leader, you must commit all the way. Learning, growing, and changing all go together. It's uncomfortable because it takes you out of your comfort zone, but it's essential in your development. Get used to the feeling of being out of your comfort zone and soon it will become natural to you. The more you seek to learn, grow, and change, the easier it gets.

Taking Initiative

To be the best leader you can be you need to get out of bed every morning and carry yourself like one. It’s great to have a network of relationships that supports you, but it's important to be self-reliant. You can’t expect everyone to fulfill your every need, want, and desire. You need to have a do-it-yourself attitude. It's nice if you get help along the way, but you need to take initiative on your own. You must lead yourself before you can lead others.

I recently met with Nate Tallman, a friend and leader that I look up to, for coffee. Nate does an inspiring job teaching leadership to college students. While discussing possibilities about working together, he suggested I come in to speak to his class. I expressed some hesitation, but Nate was quick to say "You gotta do it!" I knew he was right, I needed to take initiative and make it happen. What happens if you don't take initiative? Nothing.