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If you’re committed to stepping into your full leadership potential but feel like there is so much to work on, how do you tackle it?

You take it 20 steps at a time.

You focus intently on building one or two skills. You build competence and confidence in those. And then you work on the next skill.

A few weeks ago, I was part of a speaking competition, and it was a great opportunity to do something I love: share my message from the front of the room.

You can watch the video here. It’s quick–I only had 3 minutes.

𝗠𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲: We build our leadership skills through intentional focus on one or two areas that will have the most impact, and then we do it again and again.

When I’m coaching leaders, we don’t try to boil the ocean. We decide where to start, what competencies to build, or behaviors or beliefs to work through, and move forward with intention on those.

I used the analogy of when I summited my first 13er, Square Top Mountain, at 13,794 feet.

When it got tough and steep and I didn’t know if I’d make it, I took it 20 steps at a time. And I made it.

That’s how you do it on your own leadership journey.

  • Determine where to start, what skills to build or behaviors or beliefs to address.
  • Set a plan for how you’ll get there, the actions you’ll take.
  • Start moving forward.
  • When you fall or slip backward, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, learn from what happened and move forward again.
  • And before you know it, that skill comes easier to you. You’ve developed the tools to self-manage the behavior or belief.
  • You recognize the impact of improving as a leader. And then you pick the next area to focus and start again.

With this intentional approach, you’ll make progress every day on stepping into your full leadership potential. And the best part? It gets easier each time.
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If you’re ready to embark on your own leadership journey and want a guide for the trail, AND/OR if you’re looking for a keynote speaker for your next leadership event, contact me, and let’s find time to connect.

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