You are a leader – You can influence the future – You should!
Even in these challenging times, amazing things are happening.
With a monumental health crisis that is causing enormous physical, and economic pain for businesses, families, and individuals, people are finding ways to grow, to make progress, to get ahead to be better, to do different things.
Lots of people are sitting on their hands, waiting for things to get better, hoping that things will get better. Hope is not a strategy, waiting is a waste of time!
Right now the Olympics are taking place in Tokyo and the stories of triumph and tragedy are endless. People that put 4 years into their dreams and then had an extra year added to the process are getting the opportunity to give their hopes and dreams their best shot, despite the extra challenges in the world right now.
You should too.
Don’t put your hopes and dreams aside right now. Don’t put everything off. Don’t put your life on pause.
Because right now is as good as any time to shift, to pivot, to change direction, to raise the bar and take the leap, to set yourself, your business, and your team up for success.
This is not our first pandemic, nor is it our first economic disaster. We have survived these things in the past without anywhere near the knowledge or skills that we have now. We will survive this one. We will survive the ones that appear in the future too.
Your ancestors survived all sorts of plagues, predators, wars, fire, famine, and disasters and you are the evidence that we can not only survive, but thrive. You are the latest, greatest model of human being that has ever existed. You are capable of so much more than your ancestors ever were.
You are a leader, no question.
If your behaviours influence someone else, you lead, full stop, you don’t need a title, you just need to walk the talk. In fact, you cannot, not influence! (read that again)
So let’s switch to walking the talk of hope, of perseverance, of resilience of collaboration. Let’s start shining a light on what’s possible, what we can do, what we can achieve. Let’s be the voice of hope for those that do not have any. Let’s lift people up.
Stop waiting for your boss or the government to provide you with some hope about the future and BE THE HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
Understand that we will get through this as we have always done and that there is progress and success on the other side of this pandemic and then lean into that. Be remembered as the leader who saw the path to a better future, the leader that helped others walk that path, and the leader that set themselves, their teams, and their organisations up to succeed.
If you watch the Olympics, you will hear, again and again, Olympians saying, it’s not the good times when the challenges do not exist that defines us (anyone can do well then) Its the tough times, the struggles, the setbacks, when things don’t go right that show the true competitor, the real leader. It’s how you respond to those challenges that truly defines who you are.
3 ways to win this week
1. Drop the negative thoughts. Don’t get caught up in the hype, the news, social media. Don’t jump on the woe is us bandwagon. Find the positives and the possibilities and point them out.
2. Walk the talk. Let people hear and see a positive future through your language and your actions. Be the example for others to follow, Set the standard, and set the agenda, that’s what great leaders do.
3 Chart a path forward. Set the direction and bring others with you, family, friends, colleagues, employees, be the beacon of hope in your circle. Have a plan and share it, and adjust and adapt as necessary. It’s better to be going somewhere, doing something than standing still or going backwards.
Final thought
Your thoughts don’t make you a better leader, your actions and behaviours do.
People will not remember what you said during this time, they will remember what you did. Do something positive, something useful, something that gives others hope.
Rowdy “HOPE“ McLean
Play BIG!
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