Imagine yourself in the position of working with wild horses and responsible for identifying a potential champion and working with that potential. You see the strength in the eyes, the spirit of their resistance, yet you keep coming back to the potential. Now think forward to and grasping the many hours of investment you will engage in and for what? What is it that you see in this amazing creature that would cause you to invest hours upon hours of time, effort and training? Yet with all this resistance, tension and often setbacks, you continue to challenge yourself to find a way to gain this beautiful creatures trust. If you are a student of your profession you know the traits that make a Champion. Whether the strengths of this horse is for the race track, show jumping or an Olympian, you know what your investment will be. For all this, what would be the reason to stay with it? You keep coming back to the potential. You stay the course of building a champion because you believe in their potential and together through time trust is built and the magic of potential shines through.
Yet, what happens when leading individuals? Individuals are hired with potential, with talent and a key to the organizations success. As a leader how often do we invest the energy and time in developing that talent that was hired? Leadership is not easy, yet the gift of leadership is investing in the potential of the people. Identifying their strengths and developing a relationship that allows that potential to flourish.
It was shared by a mentor once that you can’t lead others until you have earned the right. Earning that right involves engaging in conversations that demonstrate commitment to understood objectives. Do you have the courage to show you care? If potential existed at the beginning of an employees hiring, what happened to suggest the individuals have less potential? Leading may not be easy when there are setbacks, yet the gift you bring is the demonstration and relentless pursuit of that potential. It is your leadership gift to those whose trust you earn.
The training of wild horses is similar to developing thought leaders, entrepreneurs, working with at-risk youth or developing athletes to be Olympic champions in that it requires someone to see the potential within them, demonstrate and earn that trust and not let go of the reins.
If you want to lead, your gift is giving the potential that lies within people the days, months and often years to develop and show itself. If you are willing, the results are astounding!!
Create a level of engagement that attracts people and may you give those around you the gift of Leadership that makes a difference in everything you do!