Why You Are Preventing Your Own Success? – 3 Actions To Get Out of Your Own Way
A client asked, “What is the one roadblock I will encounter when improving the culture of leadership in my company?
I responded, “You.”
My client is bright, smart and successful, yet she could not break free to the next level in business.
Quite frankly she was her own trip wire.
My client:
– wanted to know what’s going on with every initiative and project
– tried to be personally acquainted with all the customers
– wanted to master of all the technology of the business
– wanted to feel like the hero, because no one can do what she can do
My client is doomed to a life of Sisyphean tasks with little hope of business growth, financial freedom, or the ability to take some time off.
Read more about Sisyphus and leadership
The more of the leader that is necessary to operate the business on a day to day basis, the smaller the business will remain.
Once we identified that my client was getting in her way of reaching their potential, we agreed that she had two choices.
1. Get comfortable with being the “key” employee and never achieve the kind of time and money freedom she wanted; or,
2. Choose to make a permanent adjustment that will transform their company forever.
Since I have been a part of helping leaders transform their leadership experience, I can reveal the three time-tested steps to get out of your way and achieve success.
Look in the mirror – Explain to yourself and your team that you are the limiting factor of the business. By being a micro-manager, technician, loving status quo, wearing too many departmental hats, always the hero, you have been holding back the success of the business, but now it’s time for a change.
Read More About Being Self Aware
Lead – Leadership is void when you are too busy doing the work of the business, but now you must be strong and decisive. To galvanize this strategic shift how you conduct business create strategic objectives that will provide direction to the team.
Enable – Actively engage your team by changing your language from instructive to intentional. For example, tell your team that you intend to achieve an objective and ask for them to provide the how.
Read more about enabling people
The key in all three of these steps is in realizing that you must take action because no one else in your company will do it for you. For the few, the brave, those who pursue excellence and not status quo, now is the perfect time for a change.
Great leadership always comes from looking down on your business honestly.
What type of leader are you?