Leadership involves risk, making hard decisions and navigating uncertainty. If you lead, you will experience failure. It's going to happen. How you respond will have a significant impact on you and your team.
In 2009, I took a new leadership role. Two teams were being combined, and I was asked to lead the newly formed team. The twist though was that the two leaders of each of the previous teams were still on the team. They were each older and more experienced than me. And here I was, as a young leader coming in to guide the team into a much larger scope than the two teams previously had combined.
I was excited about what was possible, but I felt anxious about something. I spent time reflecting and trying to name what I was feeling. I identified two fears:
With this clarity, I took a long walk to pray about these failures. As I was processing what I was feeling, I felt like God said, "If both of the failures are fully realized, will I still be enough for you?" I was hoping for assurance that these wouldn't happen, that I would be safe from my fears. Instead, I was asked if I thought I would be safe amidst my fears realized.
I knew that even if my fears were realized, God would be enough. But I was struggling to have confidence and embrace this reality. I allowed my imagination to wander into what it might look like if those fears were realized. It wasn't fun. However, as I continued walking, imagining these failed outcomes, I could say, "God, I don't want this to happen, but if it does, I believe you will be enough."
Hope that transcends circumstance frees you from living under a fear of failure.
At the end of that walk, I felt tired yet hopeful.
Fear of failure can paralyze some, trapping them in decision paralysis amidst uncertainty. For others, it can drive them to control for self-protection.
Take some time to reflect, and I asked, "As a leader, what am I afraid of?" Consider what fears lurk in the back of your mind. Write them down.
Just naming your fears, it a significant first step to disarming them. But I want to take it a step further.
Consider if your fears were fully realized in an all-out catastrophe kind of way. In a sense, answer the question, "What's the worst that could happen?" This exercise may not be fun, but it's necessary. Now ask the question, "If I fail, where will I find hope?" Hope that transcends circumstance frees you from living under a fear of failure.
That next year leading the new team went well. We built upon what was already established. I empowered the previous two leaders to take significant ownership, honoring their abilities and experience.
But in the coming years, I would actually experience each of those fear realized in one way or another. It was painful. There's no way around it. I bore responsibility for much of it while, at the same time, much of it was out of my control.
If your lead, you will at times experience failure. It's going to happen. How you respond will have a significant impact on you and your team.
It wasn't easy, but strength and resolve came from already envisioning these fears realized. It's as if I had the benefit of already experiencing them in the past. I was confident God would be enough for me amid the difficulties, and I was not afraid.
The book "Leading with a Limp" was very formative for me this season. How I responded to failures had and powerful impact on my team. They had a front-row seat to the show. I had a choice. I could hide my weakness unsuccessfully or be transparent and lead through my weakness.
You want your life to have meaning and impact.
What if your everyday work and life not only felt natural and intuitive but also aligned with your priorities and positively impacted those around you?
As a leader, it's tempting to try to appear strong and act like we have all the answers. It's not true, and everyone can see through it. You can your team are better together. Having a more experienced team is a blessing if you have the humility to embrace it. Humility, however, doesn't often come without humiliation. While embracing your failures can be scary and painful, it can also chart a course to growth and healthy leadership.
Thinking about potential failures can be a challenge to do in a healthy way. But when you face the fear of those failures and name them, you can disarm them.
Taking time to do regular personal reviews as a leader is another practice that will give you insight into what you are thinking and believing. This clarity can help you grow as a servant leader.
Team leadership is a management approach focused on leading and guiding a group of individuals working together towards a common goal. A team leader is responsible for providing direction, support, and guidance to the team members, while fostering a positive and productive work environment.
Team leadership involves setting clear goals and expectations for the team, communicating effectively, and building trust and relationships with team members. It also involves empowering team members to take ownership of their work and contribute their unique skills and perspectives to the team's success.
Some key characteristics of effective team leadership include:
Overall, team leadership is a collaborative and empowering approach to management that values communication, trust-building, and results-driven performance.
There are several different styles of team leadership, including:
Overall, each style of team leadership has its own strengths and weaknesses, and effective leaders may use a combination of different styles depending on the situation and the needs of their team.
There are several key skills required for effective team leadership, including:
Overall, effective team leadership requires a combination of interpersonal, decision-making, and management skills, as well as the ability to inspire and empower team members to work collaboratively towards shared goals.
Servant leadership is a leadership philosophy and management style that emphasizes the importance of serving others first before considering one's own needs and desires. It's an approach to leadership that focuses on the well-being and growth of others, rather than solely on achieving organizational goals.
A servant leader prioritizes the needs of their followers or team members, providing them with support, guidance, and mentorship. They are committed to empowering their team members to reach their full potential and achieve their goals.
Some common characteristics of servant leaders include:
Overall, servant leadership is about creating a supportive and empowering environment for others to thrive. By prioritizing the needs of their followers, a servant leader can inspire trust, loyalty, and commitment, ultimately leading to better outcomes for the organization as a whole.
Learn more about how to cultivate servant leadership.
Servant leadership is a leadership philosophy and management style that emphasizes the importance of serving others first before considering one's own needs and desires. It's an approach to leadership that focuses on the well-being and growth of others, rather than solely on achieving organizational goals.
A servant leader prioritizes the needs of their followers or team members, providing them with support, guidance, and mentorship. They are committed to empowering their team members to reach their full potential and achieve their goals.
Some common characteristics of servant leaders include:
Overall, servant leadership is about creating a supportive and empowering environment for others to thrive. By prioritizing the needs of their followers, a servant leader can inspire trust, loyalty, and commitment, ultimately leading to better outcomes for the organization as a whole.
Learn more about how to cultivate servant leadership.
Servant leadership can be beneficial in the workplace in a number of ways, including:
Overall, servant leadership can lead to a more positive, productive, and fulfilling workplace environment, benefiting both employees and the organization as a whole.
Learn more about how to cultivate servant leadership.
Servant leadership differs from many other leadership styles in several key ways:
Overall, servant leadership is characterized by a focus on serving others, prioritizing empathy and collaboration, and taking a humble and accountable approach to leadership. While other leadership styles may be effective in different contexts, servant leadership can be a powerful tool for creating positive change and empowering others to reach their full potential.
Learn more about how to cultivate servant leadership.
Are you striving to align your goals with your values and passions?
Wondering how to measure progress or break down large goals into manageable steps?
Are you ready to transform your dreams into reality?
Our Goal Focus Guide + Worksheet is designed for you to discover how effective goal setting can transform your personal and professional life.
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