Reminders for Brave Leaders Who Are Leading the Way

Jon Ottosson_Leading_Chispa MagazineLeading businesses, organizations, and communities isn’t easy. It expends energy. It requires focus. It demands determination. Leadership calls us to step up and step out, abandoning our comfort zones for the sake of a goal or cause. It takes on many different forms, but its purpose remains: to serve and to lead its followers into a better future.

Whether leadership is forced upon them or they step into the role willingly, every leader must decide: What kind of leader will I be?

Will you lead by force, superiority and intimidation? Will you demand respect based solely on your position? Or will you lead from a place of understanding, humility and boldness? Will you take responsibility for the needs of your company, family and community—or will you step back in fear?

Whether it’s teaching, motherhood or heading up a Fortune 500, leaders have the potential to make a difference in the lives of those around them, both personally and professionally. Thus, the decision to lead can be daunting, and it must be approached with care.  Effective leadership moves forward with the good of its followers in mind, pushing past obstacles and opposition.

The best leaders are the brave ones. There are three principles every brave leader must remember:

It starts from within.
Leaders must first ask themselves: Am I a leader worth following? Leaders gain respect by maintaining integrity and exercising discernment. Through character development, a commitment to lifelong learning and a willingness to serve, leaders have the potential to make an exponential impact on her followers, individually, and corporately.

The buck stops with you.
Every decision made among followers ultimately falls on the shoulders of its leadership. Assuming responsibility takes courage, and it is required of truly good leaders. Taking ownership for failures and sharing credit for success instills confidence and respect in followers as their leader protects, instructs and encourages them.

Bravery is a daily battle.
No one becomes a brave leader overnight. Through various trials and errors, leaders learn how to take calculated risks. They fail, apologize, and suffer the consequences of making decisions that produce unintended outcomes. They receive the harsh criticism to which all leaders are subject. And they move forward, using their mistakes as springboards for a better future.

Bravery is not attributed to everyone. It is reserved for those whose innovation causes them to stand out from the crowd, whose unyielding effort pushes their organizations into new territories, and whose boldness compels them to overcome obstacles. These are the brave ones. These are the leaders worth following.

Leadercast helps create brave leaders by serving individuals who want to become intentional about raising their standard of leadership in their communities, businesses, organizations, and homes. Join “The Brave Ones” at this year’s Leadercast Live event on May 8 in Atlanta and leave inspired and equipped to continue your journey to become a Leader Worth Following.

Photo by Jon Ottosson

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Dana Warszona

Dana Warszona

Dana Warszona is a leadership expert and Marketing Director for Leadercast.
Dana Warszona

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