THE ONE THING EVERY LEADER NEEDS

Are you super busy? Moving from meeting to meeting, with little time in between? Are you constantly interrupted with emails, calls and messages? Do you find your mind racing from one thing, to another, to another - making it hard to focus?

If this sounds like you, I have a hard truth to share with you: your creativity, results, integrity and ability to genuinely connect with others are being negatively impacted, not to mention your overall wellbeing and enjoyment of life.

What's worse, if you're a senior executive, especially if you're the CEO, people around you are unlikely to share the true impact of your actions.

This is one of the biggest threats to your leadership.

When those around you don't share the impact you're having, both intended and unintended, you have no way of improving. No way of growing and evolving past your current way of being. You continue in the way you always have, never fully understanding why things aren't working the way you want them to and the cycle continues for years, if not decades.

The truth is you have blind spots (we all do!). Also true, most people are unwilling to share what they are with you, because it's uncomfortable to do so. Even when they do, you're unlikely to listen out of fear that accepting them surely means something is wrong with you.

This is why it's so important to have someone(s) by your side that will tell you the truth.

This person will help you to identify your blind spots, reflect back what they see with courage and honesty, ask hard questions, challenge you to consider things differently, cheer you on and tell you what no one else would dare to say - all from a place of compassion and understanding.

This person reminds you of who you want to be, of how you want to show up when things get hard, reminds you of the legacy you are creating and how you want to be remembered.

They are your thinking partner. A cheerleader. A challenger. A teller of truths. They are comfortable with your discomfort. Present. Compassionate. Real.

Sometimes this person is a parent, a partner, a friend, a colleague, a mentor or a coach.

Whoever they might be, know that we were not meant to do it on our own. It was never supposed to be a lonely and isolating life. It has always taken a village - it's how it's meant to be.

And so, I urge you to reach out, ask for support, open up, allow yourself to be seen and heard.

Leadership is lonely, but it doesn't have to be.

If you don't have such a person in your life, decide today to make a concerted effort to find them. As leaders, we don't need to listen to everyone's opinions, critiques or accolades - this could be exhausting, distracting and futile.

We do, however, need to carefully and intentionally identify those few individuals who we will listen to, who we will ask to be courageously honest with us, who will reflect back our blind spots, celebrate our failures as well as our victories and be there through the ups and downs.

So carefully build your leadership crew and commit to defining and investing yourself in the process. Life and work are simply sweeter when we do.

Warmly,

Lisa

Lisa is an Executive Coach, Founder & CEO of LDR Leadership Labs. For more from Lisa, join the LDR Leadership Community on LinkedIn at: www.linkedin.com/company/ldrleadershiplabs and sign up for the LDR Insiders Newsletter here.