The Leader Within

Have you ever been working a project and somewhere towards the latter middle stage it starts to stagnate? This happens to many people, including myself. The significant action is to move past the lull, and forward with the project.

At times, and for many reasons, moving forward through a lull is hard to accomplish. And many times, having a project slow down can cause it to be shelved for months or even years. Many great projects, once slowed down and tied up in red tape, falter and fail. Not because they weren’t fantastic ideas, because they lost the momentum to find completion.

This is where real leadership stands out and does its best. It takes a real leader to understand the value of a project, and the return on investment the project can bring back to the business. A real leader can often spot the concerns which would bog down a plan and take steps to prevent the slow down before it occurs.

Now, I have a secret nugget of wisdom for you. There is a real leader within each and every one of us. The leader is there waiting to be encouraged and brought forward. The real leader will put the need of the project, and the needs of the people ahead of the fear of standing out or being noticed. The real leader is not as worried about ridicule or words sent her or his way,  as much as she or he cares about positive outcomes.

You hear many people say that the idea is great, only they can’t do it. Most people, though, will be able to encourage others and keep the project moving if they just try.

It takes courage the first time you stand to lead because you haven’t done it before. And yet, the more you do it, the easier it can become, and the more people will look up to you as the ‘can-do’ person.

Do not go out and look for a stalled project that you can elbow your way into. Just keep your eyes open and work your projects as they come up. If you keep them rolling on a positive track, people will sit up and notice.

Thanks for reading today. I hope to be with you again tomorrow.

Author: Mike Balof

A retired Air Force Master Sergeant, Mike used to lay in bed at night and worry about what would happen if his plant closed or found himself without a job. One day his plant closed. Rather than panic and hysteria (OK, maybe a little) Mike found himself carried away on the adventure of his life. Mike started with the best job he ever had working at Home Depot. He spent 8 years working with job seekers at a local workforce center, helping them to find employment. He then started his own company developing courses, writing books and urging others to follow their own paths into the future. Mike holds a Master of Arts in Adult Education and Training and a Bachelor of Business Management, earned through the University of Phoenix and an AAS degree in Electronics Systems Technology from the Community College of the Air Force. Mike is a member of the Delta Mu Delta Business Honor Society. View all posts by Mike Balof