Are You an Action Taker?

It is up to leaders to take action when they see a need and sense a solution.

The Wright Brothers saw a need for flight, and they acted. Thomas Edison saw a need for light, and he acted. Henry Ford saw a need for an automobile, and he acted. John F. Kennedy saw a need for space travel, and he acted. Abraham Lincoln saw a need to abolish slavery, and he acted. Martin Luther King saw a need for people to dream of equality, and he acted. Mother Theresa, Nelson Mandela, Ronald Reagan, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Jeff Bezos…saw needs and acted. This list could go on and on and on. These people all had something in common: they each took ACTION.

Can you guess where your name belongs on this list? What are you going to do today?

It's not that I plan on being whose name will go down in history with the list above, but I do hope to be known for acting on causes that will require my leadership skills.

Is it uncommon for groups of people to know that change is needed in a particular area, but they continue to complain about it? Weeks, months, and years can pass, and people still complain.

My question is, Why?

It's because of a lack of action! Leaders act! Winners act! Whiners, well you know what they do!

We all get irritated from time to time. I get annoyed when the complainers don't take action. This is a big problem for me. I was constantly trying to work on this skill in my relationship with my daughter when she was 10. Because she would tend to whine when she didn't get her way, I would have to pull from my leadership, communication, and conflict resolution skills not to scold her, but instead, ask her to focus on the solution she wanted. This worked with her, sometimes, and other times, I would have to go back to her, you know, at a later time.

Have you become apathetic? Or, are you leading from a place of calm, clarity, and compassion?

In my work, I've met many leaders who face the challenge of trying to make a change without consensus. They recognize that something needs to change but have difficulty convincing others.

It is often stated that if you are liked by everyone, then you are not really a leader. I don't know if this is true, but I urge you to do your best to be respected. Then take decisive, aggressive steps.

Have a bias for action.

According to John C. Maxwell, people are not initially attracted to a good cause. They are first drawn to a leader.

At times, a cause may not be accepted until somebody leads it by example. People may not follow what you say, but they will follow what you do.

Many times in the past, I've spoken about how I was going to do something, but I was left far behind.

There are three kinds of people: those who make it happen, who watch it happen, and those who wonder what in the world happened. I'm in the first group. How about you?

Take action. Become someone who gets things done, inspiring others to follow suit.

Start using our Daily Compass Tool to help you take action every day.

Leadership LIFT Exercise

How often have you sought a consensus when making a decision?

How did it affect your ability to make sound decisions?

What can you do today and take the first step toward your vision?

Write down the first step, and do it now! Time is running out!