A leader is only as good as the people he leads. To lead people, a leader must believe in them, motivate them, and help their people to grow.
“Give people something good to live up to, and they will exceed your expectations.”
This is a popular quote that many leaders live by, but is it true? And how does it work?
Look For The Silver Lining
Life can throw many curve balls at you and at those around you. A good leader can find the silver lining and learnings from every situation. Take the Go-Giver Leader book for example. They share a story about a family-run furniture business that burns down due to a fire in the book. The fire devastated their factory and burned most of their furniture and wood supplies. However, what the family saw was the colours of the burnt wood. Something about the heat and fire had made them uniquely change colour without the need for paint. This became the trademark method of producing coloured furniture.
The family took a devastating situation that would have sent many packing and found a silver lining that took their business to new heights. The greatest growth comes from the toughest of circumstances.
Apply The Heat
As with the previous example, heat plays a crucial role in changing looks and behaviors. The same goes for us, and true leaders know how to apply heat in the right way. Applying heat can help you grow, develop, and become better than before. Leaders use heat to train, coach, and motivate those around them.
Forms of heat often used by leaders:
- Challenge – pushing someone to achieve something outside of their comfort zone.
- Goals – setting goals that will help them to grow.
- Accountability – holding them accountable for their results and actions.
While heat is an excellent way to help those around you grow, you must have the patience to apply it. Too much heat and you will burn them, too little and nothing will happen. Getting the right amount requires patience.
In an ever-changing world filled with curve balls, leaders need to believe and grow those around them to succeed.