How Brave Are You?

I read a great deal about leadership. I find it an intriguing topic and through honest reflection continuously make the effort to hone my own leadership skills. I saw the following a few weeks back and shared it with a colleague of mine.  In turn, she reflected on each point and was brutally honest with her assessment of where she is currently sharing her thoughts with me.  In doing so, she taught me a lesson…It’s one thing to reflect and keep your thoughts to yourself, and quite another to openly expose your thoughts to someone else.


Simple Secrets by Kathy Davis

1. Believe in yourself. Always stay true to what makes you unique and trust your gut. See your differences as strengths rather than handicaps. And, instead of comparing yourself to others...be inspired by them!
2. Work hard. Pure and simple. Ideas aren't worth anything unless you put them to work. You have to be responsible, dependable, disciplined and never stop learning or growing.
3. Take risks. It's O.K. to be afraid but you just have to plunge in anyway. This isn't easy, especially when it feels like the tide is against you, but it's just necessary to take risks in order to stay fresh and relevant. You will make mistakes but your efforts will also make a difference. Just take a deep breath and step out of that comfort zone!
4. Keep an open mind. Be willing to adapt and change when you need to. Adjust your sails to catch that wind. Be strong...yet flexible and resilient...like bamboo...and bend rather than break.
5. Accept your limitations. Be willing to ask for help...and be able to say "no." There's no way you can be everything to everybody all the time! Surround yourself with good people and enlist their help when you need it most.
6. Treat others with respect and kindness. That golden rule never, ever goes out of style.
7. Never stop dreaming. Your visions can guide you to great things...but you need to be patient and don't give up on yourself or on an idea that might seem slow in coming. It just might need a little more time to germinate and become strong.

Hopefully you gave some thought to each point presented and did a brief reflection of your beliefs and areas that you see as proficient and an area or two which need improvement. So the real question is are you strong enough to make some changes, large or small, and brave enough to share your thoughts with someone you trust?  Just askin…