From conducting lives to serving excellence!

You like me know situations when people say: You have to do these or that. We do that without asking you as we are in charge to decide.

Is that you giving the directions? Or are you directed by others?

Sometimes it is necessary that someone is in charge commanding others. That is the case in dangerous or life threatening situations when things have to be decided fast. People that are in charge to decide fast lack the time to discuss in a friendly and polite manner what has to be done.

That is ok for such situations. They just need the important information and the confirmation from the one that should do something. Fire-fighters, doctors, nurses, pilots, captains and other professions sometimes need to act fast. They have to follow the given directions. While they follow these directions they are in charge to think and act on their own when something new comes up. They have to speak up when that new is important to get a better result.

When others want to decide for you that is dangerous, also it sometimes is comfortable. You enter a restaurant sit down and the other orders for you without knowing your favours and needs. The risk is relatively low as you can leave the meal untouched. When you are used to follow up the expectations of others you miss to live your life.

Usually people who are following the expectations of others are welcomed. These people do the work while others have their fun. Whenever people need help these people are there waiting till they get the direction to act. Over the time the people who do the work learn a lot. Do you support people following up to others expectations? That is a huge mistake.

Those people that follow up to your expectations start thinking and developing ideas secretly. Do you know that their expertise is usually used only partially? Why? Simply because hardly anybody thinks that these people can do more then following directions. That is a huge mistake. Many of them can do more and perform better. They have learned so much when following the directions of others. Some of them can develop to great performers and leaders.

You doubt that followers can become great leaders? When you want to learn about leadership the best is to serve others. You learn a lot when people feel respected by a boss or leader. You learn a lot these people observe and recognise. You learn a lot about hidden games and concepts and how to go around them.

They are observing and knowing the strength and weaknesses from their surrounding especially from the people above them. You learn a lot about how they think and talk. From there you can develop your leadership strategies.

You start learning to guide yourself within a strict directed environment. You educate and improve your perception. You learn a lot about yourself.

How can you invite them to share their wisdom and develop their expertise? Show them that they are rip and worth to do more. Give them a task with more responsibility. Give them the possibility to decide and guide.

The trick is to find the people that are the raw diamonds or gold nuggets which can develop great. You are in charge to improve your perception and knowledge about the people around you. From that perception and knowledge you can develop your decision whom to ask.

You need to have them trusting in you when you ask them to take more responsibility. When they mistrust you then things can get worse. Either they get ahead of you suddenly because they have the trust of the others or they use their new knowledge and opportunities for their own purposes.

When they have the trust of the others and are forced by them to take more responsibility then they have the abilities for it most likely ends up in a mess. You are the one who has to deal with that.

When you learn to mentor and support the growth of that raw diamonds and gold nuggets you win a lot. You win respect. You win a friend. You win more insights. Start with the people who serve to learn more about leadership and responsibility. When you are good at that you can start encouraging the ones that have the capabilities and are to shy or feel unworthy to lead others.

While you are learning helping others to conduct their lives you are on the way to master leadership. Great leaders are the ones that guide people to be at their best and enjoying that. Great leaders know that people who are enjoying being at their best assure that they reach the best results.

After all that is what any company is looking for employees being at their best assuring the best results. Such employees assure great products and services that attract loyal customers. Loyal customers are what any company is looking for as those customers are the ones earning them 80% of their income.

Take action,

Develop your perception,

Change your intention,

Serve excellence in and around you!

Larissa Glueck

Photos: sxc.hu

Photographers: case with dollars: compose; thinking woman: qute; crosswalk button: nickobec; steer wheel with hand: ngould