“…Come from a place of authenticity because you can’t fake hope” – John C Maxwell
Entrepreneurs and business owners are leaders whether they want to be or not. I have always had that entrepreneurial spirit and always wanted to have my own business. When I envisioned that, I never really considered myself being a leader. Nor did I have any idea that I would have to be. For whatever reason, I just didn’t make the connection. Until, I had employees.
The moment you have employees you become a leader. Many things became clear for me once that happened. The first thing that became very clear was that, as a leader, I am going to have to do and say hard things. I don’t particularly like doing that because I am not a big fan of friction. I always want to be the good guy or the hero. I want to be the good boss that everyone likes. Perhaps that is why I never associated being a business owner with being a leader. The second idea that became clear was that just because I am a leader doesn’t mean I am a good leader. I was not naturally a good leader. I just didn’t know how to be one, which brings me the third lesson: I had to learn to become a good leader.
I have heard many times in my life the term “natural born leader”. I am sure there are many people that have great leadership instincts. I might have some as well. I believe, however, that great, even good leaders are created. They learn and evolve.
Another great lesson that I have learned is that you can’t teach or give anything that you do not have or believe in. John C Maxwell speaks of hope in the opening quote that I read in his book Leadershift. It applies to everything, not just hope. You must be authentic in your life and especially your leadership if you are in such a position. No one benefits from a leader that leads from false beliefs. Everyone loses in the end.
It is easy to be real when things are good. Up times are easy to talk about and enjoy. It’s when things are down that we must dig deep to speak the truth and tell it like it is. We must have the hard conversations, ask the hard questions, and make the hard decisions. As the quote suggests, you can’t be hopeful when there is no hope. So, if you truly believe there is light at the end of the tunnel, you must foster that hope and lead with it while sharing the hard reality of the current situation. And if you do not see the light you must share the secret and do what is necessary to find it.
I have had to sit on both sides of the table during my career. I have listened to CEOs and CFOs share the brutal truth of the dark days to come and I have had to be the one telling the employees that I do not see the light at the end of this tunnel and was unable to tell my crew that the end of the hard time is near because I truly didn’t know. There were times when I thought the end of the business was more visible then the end of the downward spiral we found ourselves riding. It is no easy task to look a dedicated, hard working employee in the eye and say we have to cut hours in half or even worse that we have to let you go.
A true leader can do this with integrity, honesty, and compassion. The truth must be told and the leader must be responsible for delivering it. Creating false hope by sugar coating reality does more damage in the end. Of course, as a leader there are always some things better left unsaid but the point is not say everything is fine when the ship is definitely sinking. This builds trust and true followers that will follow and respect the path laid out. They might not always like it but they will accept it and walk behind you.
That is what creates a great leader and greater followers because a leader is only as good as his or her followers. I am far from a great leader but try to become better as each opportunity is presented. I know if am authentic, the odds are already stacked in my favor.
Talk Soon,
Kevin W. @Leap272
Owner-Operator
You have to leap if you want to live.
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