Leadership is a skill – some people have it naturally but no matter what it always has to be worked on. First of all you need to choose how you want to lead. Write down your top 5 values and then take a close look at your decisions and behavior – do they reflect your values? It is important to lead by example because if you fail to do so you make a double standard which creates mediocrity!
The next step is to make a purpose statement for your life. What do I mean by that? Write down all the things in your life that give you a purpose and reason to keep going forward in your work and private life. It is important to fully establish for yourself what makes you tick because without understanding that it is difficult to be a successful leader. Like the great Martin Luther King said “I have a dream!” and so many of us have said or thought to ourselves that we do have a dream, the question is, how can we not only make that dream a reality but also make it a reality for everyone around us? The only way to become successful and to get other people to buy into your dream is to be or become a leader.
Leadership is an investment made by you for your people who will in turn give you their devotion, loyalty and trust – the most important ingredient in this investment is that the people that are in your circle know with absolute certainty that you have their backs no matter what. It is simply a choice you make - to allow everyone around you to grow individually and in turn help you to grow. People will work tirelessly for you if they believe in you.
Being a leader doesn’t mean that you need to be the best, the most knowledgable or the most creative. By providing opportunity for others you are helping yourself to continue to grow.
Leadership is a group effort! The key is to trust yourself, be yourself and stay real! If you have a winning attitude so will everyone else. Things change all the time especially in a studio or school environment and your team can be a great source of strength to you, but you need to have a purpose to make a difference – and that is what we do each day in the life of a studio, we make a difference.
To build solid relationships with everyone who is a part of your studio you need to go beyond success in order to be significant!
These are some general guidelines to help you to become a leader.
- Tell the truth always
- Take responsibility for your actions all the time
- Be willing to sacrifice yourself for others
- Make a choice to look after other people
- Remind yourself daily that you have a lot to be grateful for
- Be willing to show your emotions, it will help you to connect
- Learn to make decisions even though they may be unpopular
- Trust your judgement and have courage to do what is right for you
The fact that you chose to own your studio demonstrates that you have leadership qualities, it really is about identifying what your unique talents are and then having the willingness to keep learning. Your people will feel your energy and sense of purpose each day that you are at your studio. It will envelope everyone because people like to feel that they belong to something that is alive and vital. Harness the positive emotions of everyone around you and then use them to propel your life and business to new heights!
In closing I would like to offer the words of General Becky Halsted –
Be your best
Give your best
Because those you lead deserve the best!
