If you are planting carrot seeds and are expecting radishes you are going to be bummed when you pull those green tops out of the ground. One of the challenges some of our growing leaders face happens when they try to make the transition from team member into leader. They get frustrated or confused when they try to enlist people to carry out tasks and they face resistance. It is a classic indicator of the early stages of leadership. You think that because you are in charge, or even because you are simply trying to make something better, that you will have cooperation. But it doesn’t work that way. Everyone has an ego, we all operate with our emotions and with our brains, but mostly with our emotions.
The results we are experiencing today is a result of the seeds planted along the way. The only way to have a better tomorrow is to begin right now by noticing what you are harvesting. The early phases of leadership for a leader who is moving up in our organization yield the fruit of the seeds that were planted before they advanced. The good news is that the seasons of personal growth are not tied to time, but instead tied to a person’s increasing awareness of how to communicate with people. Leadership is all about relationships. You have to connect with the people you are attempting to lead, in other words attempting to influence. They have to know that you will be there for them before you ask them to be there for you. Every interaction is another seed you are planting, so be aware of the seeds you are sowing, and be patient. It is a process, but being aware is the first step to the next step of your growth.