If you follow my posts and podcasts, you know that I am always in pursuit of Fearless Leadership. Though I have been leading fearlessly for decades, I have not “arrived,” because Fearless Leadership isn’t a destination; it is an ongoing journey. I know that to achieve my dreams, I must continue to push myself through every new Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt (FUD) that stands in my way, and I must always strive to improve and expand my knowledge and skills to be ready to seize opportunities when they arise.
A New Year always beckons us to review and renew our path forward. I encourage you to take this time to review and renew your path of Fearless Leadership. I know I intend to. I like to begin by reviewing what I believe are the eight key attributes of a Fearless Leader and assess how well I can still stick the landing and where I need to stretch more.
8 Attributes to Becoming a Truly Fearless Leader
Fearless Leaders:
- Have a VISION for what they want to achieve.
- Build, invest, nurture, & manage RELATIONSHIPS.
- Intentionally develop their BRAND and reputation.
- Develop systems that make them PRODUCTIVE.
- COMMUNICATE clearly & consistently to their audience.
- Demonstrate and display EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE.
- Set GOALS and achieve them through focused pursuit.
- Fuel their vision by positively INFLUENCING others.
When you take an honest review of the Fearless Leadership attributes, how well do you stack up? And don’t just look for where you fall short and need to improve. Acknowledge where you are sticking the landing, feel good about it, and seek out ways to leverage those areas where you are more effective to strengthen the areas that require you to stretch more.
Our Fearless Leadership attributes will be called upon to varying degrees throughout our journey as circumstances demand. Being ready to meet those demands is key. While an intense “review and renew” at the first of the year is critical to assuring you are on the right path moving forward, it’s important to make time throughout the year to assess how consistently and confidently you are engaging the attributes of a Fearless Leader.
The path of Fearless Leadership is filled with unexpected twists, turns, and hurdles. But it is also filled with thrilling opportunities to see new geographies, meet new people, learn new skills, and inspire others to lead fearlessly. Each person’s journey is different, so there is no one-size-fits-all roadmap to success. However, there are certain steps that I have personally experienced and witnessed in many other Fearless Leaders. Based on my experiences and the experiences of others, I have established a foundation of principles that help guide me on my journey, and I hope they will do the same for you.
PASSION
It all begins with finding your passion because when you are genuinely inspired and excited by what you do, nothing will stand in your way. Your energy and enthusiasm will inspire others to join you on your journey and, perhaps, begin their own.
PLAN
Those who plan to succeed usually do. The plan doesn’t need to be executed flawlessly, but it must exist to define the purpose and goals of your Fearless Leadership journey. After all, if you don’t know where you are going, how will you get there?
FOCUS, COMMITMENT, and SACRIFICE
To be a successful leader, one must remain focused and harness their efforts, energy, time, and resources towards their goals. But focus alone will not get you over the finish line. You must also be willing to give your highest level of commitment and be willing to make sacrifices along the way.
COURAGE & FAITH
No matter our path in life, I believe if we have the Courage to Fail and the Faith to Succeed, we will achieve our dreams. Let me explain. There are those who take courageous action without believing they will succeed, and those who have all the faith in the world that they can succeed but lack the courage to act. Fearless Leaders engage both.
My greatest passion in my pursuit of Fearless Leadership is inspiring others to lead fearlessly. We all have it within us to live and lead fearlessly every day. I hope in some small way, I have inspired you to begin or continue your Fearless Leadership journey into and beyond 2024.
