Hi leaders! Welcome to episode 64! Let’s talk about leverage. More specifically, the things you can’t leverage.
These things are incredibly common. Know that most leaders have done things they can’t leverage and sometimes, repeatedly. It’s so normal!
Sometimes all it takes is a moment to shine a spotlight on it and give permission to let it go, resource it, or shift your focus. So that’s what we’re doing today.
Now, when I’m working with a leader it’s much easier to look at things from my vantage point to identify where her tendencies are.
It’s a bit more difficult to see when you’re so close to it.
I’ll break it down by sharing three incredibly common areas I see. You’ll have to pause to check where your focus and habits are to identify which, if any of these, apply to you.
Number one: Unpopular decisions your company makes.
Hello! Likely the most common. You simply can’t leverage these decisions. From every angle they are unpopular. You can’t spin it, pretend you agree when you don’t, ignore it, or crawl in a hole and hide from it. Even though you may want to do some or all of these things.
What you can do is address it head-on with class and grace. How you do this and with whom can vary from one unpopular decision to the next. This is what leadership is all about. It’s how you become the leader you’re meant to be. Embrace it.
Number two: One-on-one training, onboarding, meetings, interviews, you name it.
Doing almost anything one-on-one is something you can’t leverage. You can leverage your time and opportunity significantly more when you bring in at least one other client, team member, or mentor.
What are you still doing one-on-one? How can you leverage this time and opportunity better?
Last but not least, number three: Your weaknesses.
We all have them. It’s important as a leader to know your strengths and weaknesses. It’s smart as a leader to stop trying to leverage your weaknesses. Let it go. Resource it out. Stop fighting it.
Shift your focus to your strengths.
Let me take this opportunity to address the word “weakness”. Some don’t like it. I get it.
I like to recognize weakness as an opportunity or something that may get in the way of your strengths. A weakness can be something that pulls your focus away from your gifts, talents, passions, or purpose.
That’s all. Nothing more. It’s not a label. It’s just a word.
This last one really catches almost everything else we’re trying to leverage but would benefit if we didn’t. Whether your weakness is attention to detail, organization, planning, follow through, systems, you name it.
We simply can’t leverage our weaknesses. We can leverage our strengths. And this is where you shine. This is how you grow as a leader. This is where you open up a whole new world of possibility for your success and your team’s success.
I hope I’ve given you some important areas to truly consider what you can and can’t leverage. Here’s your permission. Let it go. Resource it out. Shift your focus.
These three are just a start. What else did you discover today that you can stop doing because you can’t leverage it? Click over to Instagram @yourcrazybigdreams and tag another leader who needs to hear this message.
The best is yet to come. Always.
