ONE SURE WAY TO KILL YOUR LEADERSHIP CAREER IS TO LEAD SCARED
Leading from a position of fear never brings good results. It causes you to make rash decisions, shrink from opportunities, and needlessly fight the wrong battles.
The opposite of leading scared is leading like a badass. What does a badass leader look like?
He confidently marches to the beat of his own drum, not swayed by popular opinion or the need to please others. He doesnt put on airs, pretending to be something he isnt, but stays true to his principles and values in all that he does. He doesnt have to talk about being a badass (thats a poser) because he knows he is a badass. A badass leader isnt an uncooperative jerk, indiscriminately ticking people off. A badass leader knows his limits and takes pride in working with others to achieve the goals of the team. Understated, purposeful, and pursuing excellence in all he does. Thats a badass.
Examples of well-known badasses:
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Badass
Condoleezza Rice Diplomat Badass
Derek Jeter Baseball Badass
Leonardo da Vinci Renaissance Badass
Mother Teresa Spiritual Badass
Albert Einstein Intellectual Badass
Aristotle Philosophical Badass
John Wayne Western Movie Actor Badass
Get the idea? So how do you become a leadership badass? Heres six ways:
1. Develop your competence Competence breeds confidence, no two ways about it. If you want to be more secure in your leadership abilities then you need to keep learning and growing. Read books, take classes, get a mentor, and learn from others. Badass leaders arent content with the status quo. They are always striving to improve their craft.
2. Be vulnerable Huh? Isnt that the opposite of being a badass? No! Leaders that display vulnerability show they dont have anything to hide. Posers are those who lead with a false sense of confidence, trying to hide their weaknesses from others. Badass leaders are acutely aware of their strengths and weaknesses and arent afraid to admit when they dont know something. People crave authentic leadership and badasses are nothing if not authentic.
3. Focus on building trust Trust is the foundation of badassery. You have to earn peoples trust before they will follow you and give their all. Badass leaders focus on building trust by being good at what they do, acting with integrity, caring for others, and following through on their commitments.
4. Build up other people Badass leaders dont feel the need to build themselves up by tearing down others. Secure enough in their self-worth, badass leaders take pride in the accomplishments of their team members and do everything they can to set them up for success. Badass leaders know that their success comes from the success of their people.
5. Get stuff done Badass leaders dont make excuses, they make things happen. They remove obstacles for their people, find the tools and resources they need, and provide the right amounts of direction and support they need to achieve their goals. Badass leaders are about doing, not talking. Badass leaders get stuff done.
6. Go against the grain Doing whats right is not always the popular choice, but badass leaders arent afraid to go against the grain when its the right thing to do. Badass leaders know they cant base their self-worth on the applause of others and they arent afraid to ruffle a few feathers on occasion.
Every leader has the ability to be a badass. Its an attitude, a belief, a way of being. Dont lead scared, letting fear drive your behavior, but tap into your inner badassness and lead with confidence and assurance. Before you know it, people will look at you and say, Now thats a badass leader!
Feel free to leave a comment and share your thoughts on what it means to lead like a badass.
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