The Leadership Paradox

As a grown man, the confidence, self love and self respect we need to be a leader is only gained through acts of leadership. "We need to act like a leader to become a leader, but we feel like we need to be a leader to act like a leader." This is the Leadership Paradox.

Most men never get their mind wrapped around this idea. As men, we're waiting for something in our life to "happen" so that we can start acting like the man we want to be.

Taking the risk and acting like a leader before you feel like it, is the only way to actually become a leader. In this way, leadership is like many other things we learn in life. After all, how do you learn to speak a language? You listen to others speak it, and you begin speaking the most basic words; counting to 10, colors, simple verbs, etc. With leadership, those "basic words" are simple actions that any of us can take this minute and start to change our lives. Here are three things you can start doing today(notice I didn't say "three easy things"):

1. Tell someone who looks up to you how much you appreciate them.

2. Forgive someone, face-to-face, who you are holding a grudge against. Apologize for holding the grudge.

3. Act the opposite - The next time you are in a situation where you would fall back into old patterns and have a negative reaction to someone or something, act the opposite. For an example see "Leadership: A New Definition"

These three actions may not sound very powerful; a few years ago even I would have scoffed at the idea that one of these things could change my life for the better. Now, I can tell you with absolute certainty, I have done them, they have helped to transform my life, they work.

Find an opportunity to use one of these actions and do it; I would love to hear how it goes.

Take the lead,

Jeremiah