Dare to lead – or barely leading?

Leadership is for the brave-hearted. Who hasn’t felt the deflating sense of defeat, as you get the employee survey results back – or some specific disheartening feedback from an exit interview from a team member? Despite all the great efforts and support you give. Again and again.

Brene Brown says it clearly in her latest book, Dare to Lead, and if you haven’t read it, do it! Courage is a skill that you can learn. And it doesn’t appear by hiding, it grows through appointment: being the leader, putting ourselves out there, standing our ground, empowering the troops, letting go of the ego and continuing to lead with our vision, our strategy, our being.

For most of us, it’s not a hat you take on and off. Most often, we find the same people putting their hand up, stepping up, having the difficult conversations across all areas of life: in their business, in their community, with neighbours, with their kids, their partner and their friends.

As we get to the end of the year, some of the leaders out there are feeling the pain. The energy nearly not lasting the last weeks. Barely not coping with needing to have another difficult conversation or aligning and communicating the vision again-again with the team.

Stay strong. Dare to lead. Make the last weeks count. Be brave. Bring joy. Bring gratitude. For the awesome results, you have been able to lead the teams through this year. For the changes, you envisaged and made happen. For the laughter, the passion and the energy you have brought to your business and your teams.

Keep your high standards, keep your head high – you can do the remaining weeks. You have it in you, and remember to not skip the routines that work for you, and to use all the tools available to keep yourself energised: little moments in nature, a power nap, meditation or visualisations, your basic exercise level, eating well. It’s all there for you, keep applying it.

Even when you barely can’t, dare to lead. Go you.