Leaders drive momentum

One of the standout capabilities of a good leader is their ability to use the power of momentum to get things done and gather the followers in their path to sweep through to success.

However momentum just like learning leadership skills, usually starts with small steps, gaining a toe-hold and gradually building up. The toughest aspect is gaining the initial inertia to get moving forward at all and then to mould it into the action machine you need to achieve your goals.

Many organisations are currently adjusting to have a much flatter management tree, which means that it is difficult to recruit people to the team. In this situation you'll need to find a motivator to entice these guys to come join your team, so look for a number of win-win situations such that your team members can see some positive outcome for them. Then you need to get some action in place (some might say grab some low hanging fruit - get some wins in early) so you can capitalize on this momentum and recruit further and so build your momentum, actions and goals will follow. People are drawn to success, so be sure that the people around you can see these early successes and they'll follow wanting to share in the glory.

When you can maintain momentum within your team, you'll find you can accomplish so much more than without the team behind you. So next you get the chance, look for opportunities to try and gain some momentum and use this success to recruit more talent to your team.

Your leadership limits - limited by you

Ever hear the term " Dream for the Sky" meaning to dream big, as big as you dare. Leadership aspirations fall into this category too. I recall some 12 years ago, I finally got this position I had been working on for the previous twenty years. Yahoo I'd made it! So the first year or so in this position was fantastic as I enjoyed all the new opportunities and spheres of influence to see some great things happen. Then I fell flat as I lost my direction.

What had happened? I was still the same person, still ready to get in and work hard. Now when I look back I see that I had lost my goal to strive for, so unbeknown to me my major motivation factor had been removed, and by myself. Surprise, surprise a year or two later I left the job and took another position. Had I realised then as I do now, maybe I may have done somethings a little different, take some leave and re-assess my goals of where I wanted to take my career, and then assess what steps I needed to take to achieve them.

So, do you have a plan in action? a leadership position in mind that you want to take on, and importantly do you stop and re-assess how your progressing, is it necessary for an update as circumstances change.

If you don't dream big there is every chance, that you'll limit your potential and settle for what should be an interim step in your life's journey of leadership.