Why Leading Makes You Better

In the age of enneagrams, StrengthsFinder, Meyers-Briggs & astrological know-how, it can feel like your characteristics & strengths are set in stone. You are who you are & while you can work on maximizing & minimizing those qualities, you’ve generally just got to work with what you got. Leadership is one of those qualities that feels tangled in these pre-determined sets of characteristics. Those who are confident, outgoing & great communicators are the ones set to lead.

Maybe you’re introverted. Maybe you feel like you have more to learn and therefore shouldn’t be the one leading the pack. But great leaders aren’t necessarily the most knowledgeable, most experienced people in the room. A leader is someone who can listen to their team, observe what works & what doesn’t & help maximize the strengths of the people around them to meet a goal. A leader can be the quiet, connector type. A leader can be you.

If you’ve always been the type to sit back & let others lead, here’s why you should consider stepping out of your comfort zone & into the front of the team.

1. A fresh perspective is great for problem-solving. We all view the world through a different lens & you sharing yours with a team can provoke some new ideas & help everyone reach a better solution. Maybe you went through a specific set of struggles that taught you some valuable lessons that might help someone else.
2. Stepping into your discomfort makes you better. We are all simmering with untapped potential. If you always fall into the same role & don’t push yourself to develop a new set of skills, you might miss out on a powerful hidden strength you possess & so will everyone around you.
3. Communication challenges will make you more empathetic. When you have to help a group of people focus on a common goal, you’ll face some interesting communication challenges. The learning curve can be steep, but working through different communication styles to help people perform their best forces you to look more deeply at the experiences of others.
4. You can inspire leadership in others. Representation is so important. Think of how stepping into a leadership position can elevate others. When someone sees another person in a position of success or power, it makes it feel much more tangible for them to achieve the same positive results.
5. You’ve got what it takes. Stop telling yourself you’re not enough, you’re not as good as someone else, you don’t know the answer, you don’t have what it takes. You do. Full stop. Your unique combination of skills & perspectives serves others, so embrace every facet of what makes you you & share it with others.

There are leadership opportunities everywhere – in your relationships, career, at the gym & in your passions. Seek out leadership positions & start sharing your magic.