Know your place….

Any ambitious, motivated person who wants to experience success in leadership is going to want to have their hands in the leadership of an organization. But this begs the question, how do I know my place within said organization?

I wouldn't necessarily call this a flaw but something I personally have to contend with; whatever organization or business that I am actively involved with, I almost feel compelled to be at the forefront of the leadership / decision making process. It is not a matter of ego as some might contend but more of a desire to use the skill set that I possess to help contribute to the overall success of the organization/business. My own reality drives me to believe that every business can be improved upon - mine to no exception. Take this reality combined with my self-prescribed attraction to leadership and I find myself being stretched in more ways than I can handle respectfully. It is not to say that I can't be a leader in any or all groups I associate with but I need to know my place. There have been numerous times where I was a more effective leader by being an excellent follower of someone else's leadership.

The value of being a leader and having a supportive team is key to the health and success of your business. So is it necessary for me to be at that head table every single time? No. Maybe the most efficient place for me is to make myself accessible to those head leaders letting them know that I am here if I can be of service and then keep myself in the follower role. When those opportunities arise where I am asked to step up and take on a more involved leadership role, then of course I will do so and do so wholeheartedly. Once I have fulfilled those responsibilities then I move back to the following role. As more people utilize this approach it creates more opportunities for people to use their inherent value to strengthen the business as a whole. It also helps to efficiently distribute the workload so that the same tasks are not falling on the same people.

As a managing leader for a few companies the toughest thing to do is manage those people whose ambitions and drive are similar to mine. Of course there are many people who share the same approach as I described above and are ok by leading through following but then there are others who have to be at the front. Again this is not always a product of egocentricity but then sometimes it is. Be smart and have those conversations to help find the right fit for all of those people in the grand puzzle of your company. As tough as it may seem sometimes, believe it or not, there is a place for everyone. The worst thing you can do is not take the time to find that spot and run the risk of losing someone who could add great value to what you are doing.

As the individual trying to find their place, don't give up; realize that there is a place for you in any group. You have to be willing to be flexible until that right spot opens up for you. Maintain a sense of humility and keep a level of professional courtesy with the people around you. You wouldn't want to finally get to that right fit only to discover that the people you are working with don't respect you or worse yet, don't even want to be around you.

Your role does not have to be a binary one - that is, you are either 100% in or not. Once you know how much time you can effectively dedicate to a task or project, have the conversation with the managing leader and be honest about what you can give and go from there. This approach will not work in every situation as sometimes job descriptions and what you have been hired for does not allow that flexibility. However if you are in a volunteer or somewhat volunteer environment then move ahead with that process. Or if you are in a corporate environment and have the opportunity to have the conversation, you can achieve your desired results through delegating aspects of the task or project. This will allow you to use the time you have available to ensure that the part you are responsible for is the best you can produce.

No matter whether you are in the head leader position or in the following position, remember that you do have a place. Know it, respect it and make the best of it. Above all remember that you add value but it is up to you to share that value.

Know your place…. as a valued leader who wants to make a positive difference towards your success and that of those around you.

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