A key ingredient of cultivation is time. We can’t get around this. Every person who wants to cultivate leaders must learn to wait. We simply can’t cultivate overnight. It took my jalapeños a while to finally come out of the ground, and they had more growing to do.
Eventually, they produced flowers, and then the flowers fell off. I was pollinating them correctly, and I was still watering, still protecting. They had adequate sun, soil, and water, but they wouldn’t bear fruit. I wasn’t sure what the problem was, but I continued to do the basics and give it time. Eventually, the fruit was finally born! We made salsa!
Through this experience, I made this observation:
waiting = patience + perseverance
Cultivation takes time, and you must wait for things to grow. Waiting isn't passively sitting by and watching. You will likely still be working hard, maybe even struggling while waiting. Perseverance is the strength to continue working even when you don't yet see the fruit.
When rebuilding a sports team, you'll often hear coaches say, "Trust the process." They recognize time is a crucial ingredient to lasting change and growth. Leadership is the same.
It’s a lot easier to meet a need when it is a felt need. Need is a great teacher’s aid. Leaders must balance initiating to meet needs before they arise and waiting for others to recognize their need.
Maturity is the realization of growth. Growing is a slow process. It's important to celebrate the milestones along the way. Maturity is reached when the subject reflects the image of what it was created to be and carries out the role it was designed to fulfill. Understanding a vision of who you were made to be and what you were created to do are vital to maturing as a leader.
Sometimes those you're leading don't feel they need help. It’s a lot easier to meet a need when it is a felt need. Need is a great teacher’s aid. Leaders must balance initiating to meet needs before they arise and waiting for others to recognize their need.
Our environment is not static; it's constantly changing. Sometimes as a leader, you are waiting for a process to complete or play out. This could be waiting for someone to finish a project before challenging them to a new role or waiting for someone to complete a challenge previously given.
Patiently. And actively, here are four important actions that are present as you wait:
We've already covered providing and protecting. Neither of these stops while you're waiting. They are essential roles, and while they may change for a season, they don’t cease while we wait.
It’s easy to spend our day reacting to what comes at us. What if you could be proactive, intentionally making decisions based on your priorities? It is possible!
Our five-day short course guides you through the process of identifying your life priorities and scaling them day to everyday decisions. You’ll learn how to establish a rhythm to build good habits and grow a team that will be with you in the journey.
Let’s be honest, though; for most of us, waiting is hard. There are parts of us which it grates against, and we will struggle to get out of waiting. This struggle temps us to take shortcuts and manufacture growth. A temptation we must resist.
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.
Our five-day short course guides you through the process of identifying your life priorities and scaling them day to everyday decisions.
You’ll learn how to establish a rhythm to build good habits and grow a team that will be with you in the journey.
Our five-day short course guides you through the process of identifying your life priorities and scaling them day to everyday decisions.
You’ll learn how to establish a rhythm to build good habits and grow a team that will be with you in the journey.
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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