The #1 Resolution Business Leaders Need To Make
As the start of a New Year rolled around I found myself reading many articles about the traits of the most effective leaders. There were qualities listed like vision and presence, and abilities like communication, learning and listening.
What I did not see listed in any of these articles was the ability to ask for help.
As leaders in our businesses I’m sure there are some occasions where we easily say, “I don’t know, let me get back to you on that”, or we delegate the research to someone on our team. If you are somewhat successful this is no problem; you realize that of course you won’t know everything.
What about when the situation is more personal? When, rather than being about knowledge, which is easy to remedy, it has to do with our abilities, skills, or experiences?
Do you ask for help on the big stuff?
Do you have a clear vision of where you want your business to be one year from now?
Five years from now?
Have you mapped out a plan that will lead you right to your goal?
Do you know what qualities and skills you will need to develop to take you there?
What are the challenges you’ve been facing in your business, and how long have you been dealing with them?
I’m assuming if you are reading this blog you’ve already achieved a certain level of success in your business, and in your life. Knowing the type of people that this community attracts, I would say you are smart, hardworking, and adaptable; but what got you here won’t get you to your goal.
In order to achieve new levels of success you need to be more than adaptable, you have to constantly gain new perspective and make leaps in your leadership abilities.
This is not something you can do by going it alone. Seek out the help of an objective individual or talented community and you will be leaps and bounds ahead of where you are now.
Where do you look for help?
Mentors: Find those who have already done what you are trying to accomplish and ask them how they did it. Build a relationship with this person and share how their journey has help you on yours. Chances are this person is at the stage where they are eager to share their knowledge and help other to be successful as well.
Coaches: Find a coach who understands the challenges of business leaders. Read their website, watch their videos, and talk with others who have worked with them to get a sense if it would be a good fit. When you find the right coach, the one who gets you and will challenge you to be more true to yourself, you’ll be more productive, aligned with those you are working with and accomplishing things you thought might happen when life got easier.
Training: There are likely many organizations in your area that offer training on a variety of topics including communication, innovation, creativity, project planning, team building, etc. If you know where the gap is this is an easy avenue to help you develop as a leader.
Mastermind Groups: You’re not alone, and seeking out communities of like-minded individuals is one of the best ways to develop yourself. Mastermind groups are organized, usually by a coach or training organization, and have structure and accountability. This is a safe place to share your challenges and brainstorm with others like you for solutions that can be implemented right away. It also has the added benefits of networking and receiving coaching at a lower price than private coaching.
In conclusion…
There are many traits that make up an effective leader, but in my book the most important one is being a leader who can admit their limits and ask for help. That leader is going to accomplish amazing things.
Be resolved to ask for help. Ask for help every day and you’ll find success comes much more easily than you once believed.
If you’d like to add anything, or suggest another place to seek help, I’m sure the Luma community would be very appreciative! Just add your suggestion into the comment section below.
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Thanks so much, and here’s to your success!
