It Takes Guts To Be A Leader

Business success is always built on a platform of courage. The most successful business owners in the world today are those with the drive and tenacity to do something that has uncertainty about its outcome. The most successful business leaders on the planet are those who have the guts to lead and not follow.

I remember the conversation as if it were yesterday

I had just explained how the company could simplify its approach to business execution so it was more effective in getting targeted business results.

I’d walked the company executive through a strategy for how the foundations could be built around new thinking patterns and greater personal effectiveness of individuals in the organisation, and doing it in such a way that it positively impacted both their working and personal lives.

He asked “What other airline of similar size to ours has taken this approach?”

When I told him that none had, but companies such as Rio Tinto and HBOS had, he said “Well … when you’ve done it with a similar sized airline, come back and we’ll talk about it.”

That was my conversation with the executive of a multiple billion dollar airline. Come on … did he really want me to do my best in helping his company’s competitors achieve greater business success?

We have a problem in business today

One of the major problems today in big business is that a cost cutting mindset and risk averse culture prevents business leaders from doing things that are not tried and tested.

When Bill Gates and Paul Allen originally sold their operating system idea to IBM, the software was untested, in fact it was not even developed.

When Fred smith started the first overnight express delivery company in the world, Fedex, the concept was untested. In fact he was told by a university professor that it was not a workable idea.

When Apple’s Steve Jobs rolled out iTunes and the series of iPod devices linked to the software, the concept were untested.

When Google hit the ground running with a free online search engine, the idea was untested.

When Richard Branson started virgin records, the business was untested.

Always Remember ….

It takes courage to do something new and innovative, just ask any successful business owner who put it on the line and started from scratch with nothing but an untested idea.

It takes courage to give people (who work for you) the freedom and space to try new and untested ways.

It takes courage to allow people to ‘fail’ and learn from experience.

The bottom line …… it takes guts to lead the way and do something nobody else has done.

I take my hat off to those who have the guts.

‘Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.’

Ambrose Redmoon

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With 37 years of working experience behind him, George Lee Sye is now a highly sought after speaker, performance coach and mentor to business leaders in organisations of all sizes and all industries. To read more about his approach to business leadership and business execution visit his website here –http://www.soarent.com.au/business-leadership/academy-business-leadership

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