Some people are naturally born leaders and some people learn to be leaders. I am an example of someone who had to learn to be a leader. Maybe I had it in me the whole time but it was one of those things that had to be brought out. I can tell you that over the years I have had to work very hard on my leadership skills and as I wasn’t a natural born leader. I was the shy girl that worked hard behind the scenes to get what I wanted but I never wanted to be in the forefront or take on any big roles that would require me to have responsibilities.
There are 3 areas where I have struggled over the years and I continue to make improvements in these areas:
- Delegation – I have a hard time delegating tasks to others as no one else could do it as good as me. Any of you struggle with this issue like me?
- Confidence – This has always been one of my #1 struggles in life. I would second guess decisions that I would make. I would think I wasn’t capable to do what I was doing as a business owner and experience imposter syndrome. Often times I would go to networking events and be nervous and afraid as I wasn’t confident about myself. This took me constantly going out and getting in front of others to change this.
- Lack of assertiveness – I struggle with this as I want everyone to like me. I take things personally and it’s hard for me to separate business from personal. I would be worried that I would upset someone if I didn’t like their idea, or if I had to write them up for something. The last thing I ever want to do is hurt someone’s feelings.
Now there are 3 areas that I feel that come natural to me with being a leader:
- Ethical – no grey area. I always do the right thing. I have a servant’s heart and I will always do the right thing.I am a trusted leader.
- Empathy – I think this is my top character quality I possess. I feel what others are going through and understand them. People trust me and come to me for help and advice.
- Driven – I am so driven to achieve success. I constantly set goals for myself and I hold myself accountable to reach those goals.
Things are always gonna happen in life to bring you down and set you back but you have to not let it bring you down and you have to pick yourself back up and keep going. Yes, leadership can be learned if you are willing to learn and put in the practice, hard work, and get out of your comfort zone. I know because I am living proof of this! It was said best by John Maxwell when he said. “ If you want to be a leader, the good news is that you can do it. Everyone has the potential, but it isn’t accomplished overnight. It requires perseverance.”
