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The smallest crowd you will ever lead is yourself. But it’s the most important one.

• 17-01-2013
• Communication
• by admin

I had a long talk today with an old-time colleague and friend. I think it has been more than 7 years since we have not seen each other. Just like the wine gets better with age, she got better with age: she is more beautiful, more open-minded, more free-judgmental, more trained professionally, more everything. Except one thing.

She is at the same place in her career where she was 7 years ago, more or less. Same office, same duties, same environment. At the same time, she was very impressed and appreciative about what I do and where I am at this moment of my life. I thank her for her kind words.

What do you think happened? Why do some people stay in the same place for so many years. When is the good time to leave a job and go to the next level. She has a family, a kid, she cannot play Russian Roulette with her life. She is mature and she has to have good reasons to leave a job.

She confirmed to me a lesson that we all should learn and follow: lead yourself more, better, tougher, smarter than anything and anybody else. Get out of your comfort zone, learn new things, meet new people, search opportunities, never stop learning, never stop living outside your comfort zone, put yourself to higher standards! Always stretch yourself a bit more than it is comfortable, try to go that extra mile, make extra effort in terms of time, energy and money, invest in trainings, events, networking…and eventually opportunities should come.

“If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.” I believe it was Thomas Jefferson who said that and he was so right.

Otherwise, there is no sense in having different, higher expectations.

Lead yourself well and smartly, do not forget that discipline is the bridge between where you are now and where you want to be, go the extra mile, invest in yourself…and one day you will make a difference.

I simply love the way John Maxwell talks about leading yourself. He says: “Leading yourself well means that you hold yourself to a higher standard of accountability than others do. Why? Because God holds you responsible not only for your own actions, but also for those of the people you lead. Leadership is a trust, not a right. For that reason, you must “fix” yourself earlier than others may be required to.

Thomas J. Watson, the former chairman of IBM, said, “Nothing so conclusively proves a man’s ability to lead others as what he does from day to day to lead himself.” Leaders receive very little fanfare for quietly leading themselves well day in and day out. Most people are unaware of the disciplines their leaders practice or the sacrifices they make outside of the spotlight.  However, they don’t do it for recognition;  they do it for results.  What leaders do day-to-day always pays off in the long run.  Success or failure isn’t an event, but a process.

The bottom line is that the smallest crowd you will ever lead is you—but it’s the most important one.  If you do that well, then you will earn the right to lead even bigger crowds.”

Thank you, my friend, because you reminded me today of this lesson. It is not useful only for me and you, it is a must for everybody and it is never too late to practice it. I believe a new beginning awaits for you….go grab it! You are capable of so much more…all you need to do is start. Slowly but determined.