Some of the most uplifting and important stories in business, are the emotion-filled stories from emerging leaders about the coaching they received from a senior business mentor. I have heard descriptions about deeply appreciated advice, mostly delivered in a brutally honest fashion, that truly have made a difference, and usually at a crossroad in a career.
What is fascinating to me is the mentor is usually completely unaware of when the message was delivered. Completely unaware that the episode was a significant event. Completely unaware that their advice would be seen as that impactful.
The lesson in this for me, and hopefully for you, is:
Leaders are always on stage. Our actions, words, tonality, body language, humor, and frustrations are watched by many more people than we think. Our teammates are constantly looking for signals and clarity. Our words and actions have powerful implications and the receiving party is the one that picks the time, place, and message. We never know when we are the most impactful, so we better be consistently on our game.
I challenge you to find at least one junior colleague that you can mentor and to remember that many others are watching you. Don’t let them down.
Leadership is about influence. So if you imprint and influence others, you are a powerful leader.
Be a powerful leader!
Coach Dave
Small business copyright is a form of legal protection for original creative works produced by…
There comes a point in the lifespan of every organization when you outgrow the systems…
Often, the secret to an innovative business lies in a visionary leader. Visionaries are usually…
Resistance to change is a phenomenon as old as time itself. When you think about…
Change management during mergers and acquisitions is an art and a science. Many leaders understand…
I have always been fascinated by how damaging narcissists can be to a business. This…