SUCCESSFUL leaders are not the ones without problems, but the ones who know how to handle and capitalise from problems.
Leadership like any other sport can be very exciting yet it has its blind corners. These blind corners if they are not properly managed can tear a leader apart. It can start as a crack which can eventually mature into a canyon.
This could either leave the leader drained in fatigue, disrespected because of unmanaged character traits or drenched by a bad image. Here are seven things that every leader can’t avoid:
- Deceptions One thing that every leader should look out for is deception. More and more voices speaker to a leader or more images are dangled in front of a leader’s eyes as bait. These are not necessarily good as they appear at face value. A working example is to accept a bribe from people that want to buy favors of your influence. The bribe tastes really good, but you have sold out your influence and authority.
- Distractions There are situations which come as an emergency, but they are not that important. These come just to take away your attention from the real issue, and in this case from your leadership destiny, but they are mere distractions. The clergy has been in the media for such reasons. As a leader myself, I have realised that I have more access to a lot of things than other people, but I choose not to indulge myself into those because they are distractions that could destruct my leadership career.
- Discouragements A leader is someone who should be able to see into the future where others have not seen yet and convince the followers towards that future goal. At times the leader should take a risk and swim against the tide of opposition and criticism. But in trying to do all that, traditional minds used to the norm will discourage you with their previous experiences and their fears of failure. Discouragements come because of different reasons and these include: fear, people who stick to set norms, people who do not want change and people who do not want you to see succeed. In all that, the leaders should boldly know that a leader is does not only walk in old paths, but also paves new paths for the next generations to walk through!
- Distortions Because leaders are always on the spot light, they are bound to be misinterpreted. Information, relationships and even mere actions about them can be misread. It’s not up to the leader to explain themselves to every person. Stay cool, calm and collected, as some people would say, and let your actions speak the most. People will always have their own view of who you are and they are also wondering what you are thinking about then. Herbert Swope once said: “I cannot give you a formula for success, but I can give you a formula for failure, which is: Try to please everybody”.
- Demands The best way to refill and refuel your drive and determination is to have enough rest and a relaxed mindset. Things demanding the leader’s attention can be so much but it’s not to the leader to answer to every demand. In reality, the main job of the leaders is to think, model what he thinks and mentor relevant people to work the dream. Simply he learns to design a prototype and if that is done he delegates to others to multiply his designs.
- Detours Detours in our way in the leadership journey are not necessarily bad. Two lessons that need to be derived from detours. Firstly, detours are not meant to be permanent. They are a temporary measure to success as you readjust your priorities. Secondly, detours help a leader avoid ditches in front. Avoiding the usual route of the modus operadi does not mean you have lost track, but you are using a different path to attain the same or even better results.
Parting point: Peter Drucker says: “Leadership is lifting a person’s vision to high sights, the raising of a persons’ performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations”. That takes effort and at times against all odds!
Jonah Nyoni is an author, success coach and motivational speaker.Tel: 0772 581 918. Email: [email protected] Web: www.jonahnyoni.wordpress.com
