How to become a leader in your field

We all have a desire to be successful at what we do, whether it’s professional, personal or simply making the best of the 24 hours we have been given each day.

In these times of uncertainty we have many questions:

• How can we achieve our goals?
• How can we take charge and change things for the better?
• Where is our world heading?

If you are willing to think unconventionally from a business perspective, you can apply there tools to your own personal growth.

The following article “5 ways to fuel leadership in your organization” was written for business leaders, however I think it applies equally to those of us who are self-employed, have goals to publish our work, or start a business.

So what is the one thing we all need to succeed?

Leadership.

Not just old-fashioned leadership but, bold, gutsy and ambitious leadership.

Now if you’re doing it alone, just like a large business, you must take action and align yourself with other people who are willing to shake things up. A quote from “5 ways to fuel leadership in your organization.”

“Leadership is a bold, confident and deliberate choice you make because you want to add value and make a difference. Take note, the organisations filled with gutsy, bold and confident leaders, those willing to shake things up and charge the hill, will find that the field is uncrowded. Success belongs to those organisations willing to invest in leadership.”  

I believe the 5 ways to develop leadership within a company apply equally to us as individuals.

1. Choose to think big and act bold

You need to take charge, connect with others who can help move your small business, publishing goals, or your future in the right direction. Always try to do your best, and don’t allow others to stop you.

2. Define a big, inspiring cause

Perhaps you already have a cause that you’re helping with, and this is fueling you to gain more personal satisfaction with your work. I wrote a previous article on “How Can I Turn My Passion into a job” with Alissa Everett, whom I shall be interviewing shortly about her profession as a photographer, and the non-profit she created: Care Through Action,  as a way to contribute and make a difference to our world.

3. Choose to be Gutsy

Just like a large corporation needs to make tough decisions and focus forward, ask yourself:

• What can I do?
• Where do I want to head?
• What do I want to achieve?

4. Celebrate people and projects

Celebrate others and show and tell the ways they are doing this by starting a “Brag Blog.” Success breeds success.

5. Lighten up and start having fun

Just as many companies have become way too serious, so have people. Kevin and Jackie Freiburg state:

“We’ve lost our passion for balancing work and fun… Fun is a major form of differentiation; fun creates energy, stimulates creativity and boosts productivity! Fun makes doing even mundane tasks more pleasant. When people are having fun at work, it’s like adding fuel to a fire.”

One example of someone who decided to become a leader and take charge of her writing career is Amanda Hocking, one of the most successful self-published, indie authors in recent history, who was offered a $2 million book deal. You can read her a summary of  her publishing goals in this blog interview.

For my writer friends, I asked Jerry Simmons some specific questions about book marketing, e-books, self-publishing and distribution. He has answered my questions in his newsletter WriterReaders newsletter, which I subscribe to and recommend to all writers.

 

Do you feel the uncertain times we live in today are affecting your outlook on the future? In what way?

Photo Credit Above Sergio Castro