Want To Go Places?

Wherever people find themselves in life, they usual possess a natural desire to move up. They typically want greater recognition. They may want to make more money. They may want to live in a better home. They probably want to improve and advance. Leaders are no different. They generally want to move up rather than stay put. They want to make a greater impact. They want to be at the front of the pack or the top of an organization, especially early in their lives and careers. But is being out in front really all that it’s cracked up to be? There are advantages to being in front or on top of an organization. But the same things that can benefit leaders can also make leadership difficult. It is almost always a double-edged sword, and anyone who sees only the positives without recognizing the negatives is either naïve or inexperienced. Here are some reasons why leaders like to be “out front”... 1. The front is the most recognized position for a leader: Everyone enjoys praise and recognition. It has been said, “If each of us were to confess his/her most secret desire, the one that inspires all his/her plans and actions, s/he would say, ‘I want to be praised.’” And since leaders, who are the most visible, often receive the credit when a job is well done, many people desire to become leaders. But recognition isn't always what it is cracked up to be. When things go wrong, the person recognized as responsible is also the leader. When a football team has a losing season, the coach gets the blame. When a baseball team keeps losing games, the manager gets fired. When the big account doesn’t sign on with the company, the person leading the effort is held responsible. Being in front can be good for your ego, but it can also cost you your job. 2. The view is better from the front: A newscaster once conducted an interview with an accomplished mountain climber. The journalist asked, “Why do you climb mountains? The mountain climber looked at the newsman and replied, “It’s obvious that you’ve never been to the top of a mountain.” The view from the top of a mountain is incredible – it’s thrilling. The perspective is uniquely amazing, especially if it can only be reached by climbing. Similarly, it’s often hard to read the “organizational scoreboard” from the middle of the pack. It’s much easier to see it when you are at the top of the organization. There is a perspective one has from the front (aka, the top) of an organization that cannot be had from anywhere else. But with that perspective comes responsibility. If you see problems that can threaten to derail the organization, harm employees, or cheat customers, you have a responsibility to try to resolve them – no matter how messy, costly, or difficult it is. Leaders at the front don’t have the freedom to neglect what their position allows them to see. As a leader, are you finding it difficult to be fulfilled where you are? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/