Ever met someone who was loaded with talented and seemed to gel with their peers but couldn’t keep a job for very long?
They always had “that” boss they just couldn’t get along with or “that” spouse that was “holding them back.” They always had an excuse for why failure wasn’t their fault.
The truth is most of those factors didn’t really keep them from leading well. Great leaders don’t play the blame game. Here’s why talented leaders don’t always make it:
You can’t lead until you can be led.
People who don’t respect authority don’t get authority. In movies and TV that happens a lot. But not in real life. In real life you get fired.
There’s a right time and a right place and a right way to take a stand. Great leaders know when to take a stand and when to take a seat. But talented leaders fight for every little thing. And after a while that just gets annoying.
Here’s what great leaders do:
Follow your leader like you want people to follow you.
Care about the things they care about. Confront them privately. Support them publicly. Thank them genuinely. Exceed their expectations. Lighten their load.
Don’t just be awesome in a way YOU think is awesome. Be awesome in a way THEY think is awesome.
Jeff McClung 