I’ve never made a secret about leaving school at 16, formal education just didn’t do it for my teenage self. I wanted rugby, I wanted fishing, I wanted real life.
The week after leaving school I got a job on a trawler, making tea boy, gutting fish, scrubbing fish boxes and generally cleaning the boat. It was definitely real life.
And it didn’t take me long to realise that what I wanted for myself was not only out of reach, it had never felt so far away. I didn’t know it then, but it was teaching me about life, leadership and teamwork. Lessons I’ve never forgotten and lessons that I value to this day.
We all have a definition of a good leader and I don’t think there’s a one size fits all, because we’re all so different. You might feel you have natural leadership ability and take it easily in your stride, or you might struggle with it every day, worrying you’re not good enough.
I think it’s about being authentic and recognising the value of everyone in the team.
But whatever you feel about your leadership ability, it actually doesn’t matter.
Why do I say this? because ultimately you don’t decide if you’re a leader, people decide whether or not they are prepared to follow you. It really is that simple, if people are following you, you’re a leader.
The top five things that helped me become a confident leader:
- Remembering what it felt like when I had a good leader and how I responded
- Being very clear about my definition of success and how to achieve it
- Leading with a light hand. Trusting my own skills and the skills and ability of my team
- Showing my trust in my team by resisting the urge to micromanage
- Controlling my own destiny, admitting when I’m wrong, asking for help from my team and consistently showing that I value their contribution
I don’t think there’s any right or wrong way to go about the business of leadership. It can be complex, rewarding, thankless, frustrating, and impossible, but when your team starts to be consistently successful, and you realise that you’re no longer flying by the seat of your pants, you can start to enjoy it.
I think enjoying being a leader really matters because confidence and enjoyment are contagious. I know I’m most successful when I see my team enjoying the challenges we face together and overcoming them together.
I am confident in my ability to lead, but I never lose sight of my goals: to be better, to keep learning and to keep improving.
