When you’re starting out in leadership, leadership seems so big and overwhelming. There’s so much to do. There’s so much to change. There’s so much to impact.
And you’d be right.
There is a lot involved in leadership. Almost too much for the beginning leader. When you dive into leadership, you may feel like you’re drowning. But you don’t have to.
There’s a better way to get started in leadership. Here’s what you need to do.
Start With The Small Things
Leadership is about the big things. However, it’s also about the small things. That’s what you need to start with.
What are the small things? What small steps do you need to take? Think about the following:
What’s one small thing you could do to influence someone else?
It’s a simple question at heart. But I want you to consider this. Especially if you’ve never thought about the influence you’ve had over others.
Why? Because you’re already influencing someone else. You may not realize it.
Have you helped your child pick out their clothes for the day? Have you suggested a great movie to a friend? Did you recommend the new Korean restaurant with the fantastic Korean corn dogs?
If they took your recommendation, you led them in a direction. You provided your thoughts and opinions, gave them an option, and helped them to decide.
That’s a small thing you can do to influence someone else. Make a recommendation.
There’s more you can do as well, but that is the start of leading well.
However, don’t stop there. Think about this next question:
What’s the next small thing you could do to organize a team?
Have you ever led or organized a team? You may think you haven’t but you probably have. Organizing a team could look like:
- Creating a Bible study group for the young people in your church
- Organizing a recreational soccer team for your workplace
- Bringing people together to talk about a problem at work and the solution to the problem
The next small thing you might need to do to organize a team may be to recognize a need, understand a new technology (AI, anyone?!?), or have a conversation. The more you listen, see, and understand, the easier it will be to organize your next team.
It’s Not Hard
Leadership can be a lot simpler than you or I make it out to be. We don’t have to lead large teams, make a massive impact, or change the world. We only need to start with the small things that make a difference in our local world.
So, the next time you’re struggling with what to do next, start small.
Ask a great question, understand how you are influencing others, listen to someone else. The little things you do will make you a better leader. Maybe even the best leader someone has ever encountered because you looked for the small thing, not the big thing.
What a difference you can make when you’re not looking for what’s big but what’s small.
