Greatness or mediocrity. It’s up to you.
My friend, let me tell you something that may shock you: greatness is not reserved for the select few. It is not some elusive treasure that only a fortunate handful can attain. In fact, greatness is all around us, and it is there for the taking. But here's the problem: too many people are content with being mediocre. They settle for less than they are capable of, and they accept a life of mediocrity as their fate.
That is not your fate. You have a choice. You can choose to be great as a leader. You can choose to rise above the herd, to stand out from the crowd, and to make a difference in this world. And here's the best part: It's easier than ever before.
Find what you lack
We live in an age of unparalleled opportunities. With a few clicks of a mouse, you can access websites, podcasts, and blog posts that cover just about every topic under the sun.
The world is connected in ways it’s never been before. You can partner with like minded people in forums. You can exchange ideas. You can access expert opinions with a few keyboard strokes. There are literally no excuses for not learning, filling in knowledge gaps, and honing your skills. And sadly, more people than ever before are settling for mediocrity; what a chance you have to really shine!
Act on it
The difference between a sport's greats and their teammates is often a matter of will. It is energizing and fun to envision a better future, a more positive workplace culture, or a set of leadership skills. But without action, it remains just that - a dream.
Taking a step away from mediocrity and toward greatness begins with a decision. Decide that you don’t want to settle, then go take action. It will take persistence and dedication to keep making better choices and rising above the noise. When you are relentless in your pursuit of excellence, you can’t help but experience growth. Be intentional, but also be consistent. Commit to your decision to act, and follow through.
Surround yourself with the right people
The steps to moving from mediocrity to greatness are simple: choose to be better, find the skills you need, and learn them. Like many things, this is always easier said than done. The path of least resistance is the one that also leads to mediocrity. It’s always easier to settle than to push forward.
Surround yourself with like-minded people who will encourage you to keep making progress on your journey and who will help you through challenges along the way. Mentors and advisors can help you stay accountable to your goals- once they understand what they are.
Serve your team
The best things in life are meant to be shared. Leaders have the opportunity to empower others along their journey to participate in the achievement of their goals. When you are clear on where you are going and what you want to accomplish, the most gratifying aspect of leadership is the ability to develop a team to help you get there.
What is the starting point for leading any team?
Put your team first. Cultivate a servant-leader mindset to allow you to act in the best interests of your team. Often, you will see greatness in them that they aren’t even aware they have. Your words and actions as a leader can ignite that spark that sends them on their own journey away from mediocrity.
Leading to serve others while energizing the entire team to achieve a goal is a great privilege, and it can also feel like a huge weight to carry. You might be thinking, “Do I have the skills to serve my team?" "Wouldn't it be easier to just "do it" myself?”
My friend, the sum is always greater than the parts. If you develop and serve your team, they will carry you farther than you could ever go on your own.
Back to basics
In order to be a great leader, you need specific skills and tools to serve and mentor your team. In order to learn new skills, you must start with a solid foundation. Before you can build on your foundation, you need to know your starting point and your gaps. Where are you, and what do you need to focus on to effectively lead your team?
Take inventory of where you are with our free Leadership Assessment. Through it, you’ll see what skills you already have and what steps you need to take next. It will give you a great point of reference for exactly where you need to start honing your skills and adding tools to your toolbox in order to pursue the greatness that is most definitely within you.
Stay tuned for the Leadership Lab.
Later this spring, we will be launching a Leadership Lab that will provide you with all of the tools and actionable strategies you need to grow as an influential leader. If you’d like to be notified as the program becomes available, click HERE, and we’ll send you an email with the details as soon as it’s live!
