July 11, 2023

"A defining characteristic of a good leader is the conviction that he or she can make a positive difference - can prevail even when the odds are stacked against him or her. A successful leader is not easily swayed from this self-belief." - Bill Walsh

Leadership is hard. If anyone tells you differently, they are lying. When we are in a leadership position, we get all the blame and none of the credit, and that is the way it should be. As a leader, it is important to realize that things are always going to go according to plan. We, and our teams, are going to fail. When that happens, how do we react? When we lead, we should always expect the best but plan for the worst. We should always believe that our teams are going to be successful. At times, we might have to adjust our meaning of success, but that is part of being a leader. No matter the odds, we have to have the belief that we can overcome them; if we don't, how can our team believe it? This all starts with a growth mindset. We have to realize the power of reframing both successes and failures in a positive light. I'm not talking about the fake, toxic positivity that does no one any good. Leaders need to be able to celebrate their successes while learning from the failures and the obstacles. When we fail and learn, that is not negative, that is positive, and it will make out teams and us stronger.