Years ago I was complaining to my older brother about the problems du jour at work. A successful businessman in his own right, he told me, “If you don’t have five challenges a day, that just means you are not pushing yourself or your organization forward aggressively enough.”
While my brother said this in a lighthearted manner to encourage me, his sentiment highlights a key question in leadership. What does “good” look like in my leadership? We often equate “good” with having no problems, when everything is smooth sailing. But that is not the case.
In the context of a diligent, growing, conscientious leader, challenges can and should be seen as part and parcel of our healthy journey forward. In fact, they are key to our growth. If you have several big problems on your desk today, congratulations! I offer you the following thoughts to help you deal with the big challenges you face.
- Being courageous and resilient in the face of obstacles sets you apart and above the rest.
- Resolving challenges is the job of a leader.
- Resolving bigger and deeper challenges means you are growing as a leader.
- Simplifying complications is what we as leaders are growing for daily.
- Being faced with barriers will push your growth to the next level.
- Willingness to tackle the biggest challenges engenders respect from others and causes people to want to follow you. It marks you as a strong leader capable of leading during good and difficult times.
When you push forward and upward, there will be challenges to resolve. This is normal and acceptable. Welcome to leadership.