The Friday Five - Leadership Edition

The Friday Five - Issue 22
Challenging leaders to maximize their potential
Terry Wetzel ~ Summit Leadership Development

Your "potential" is irrelevant. Potential is just a fancy word for what you haven't done yet. The world doesn't pay for potential; it pays for output, for results. Get busy.

A former colleague who is a very successful salesperson once told me: “Be your own marketing department.” This applies externally to customers and internally to your team. Stop waiting for a performance review to define your value. In every email you send, every meeting you attend, in every interaction, and in how you handle conflict, you are functioning as your own marketing department. You aren't just delivering a product; you are delivering a reputation. If the “brand” people experience doesn't match the potential you think you have, the problem isn't their perception—it’s your messaging. Own the signal.

Winning the morning isn't about the hour you wake up; it’s about the intent you set before the world starts asking for your time. For a leader, the first thirty minutes of the day are often the only ones you truly own. Use them wisely and you build a reservoir of composure. By the time you sit down for your first meeting, you’ve already secured a win, which means you’re leading from a position of strength rather than reacting from a place of deficit.

Last week I mentioned Excellence vs. Thoughtfulness. Knowing your team’s KPIs, sales statistics, or other data is excellence — it’s a requirement of the job. Knowing their spouse’s name, asking about their kid’s soccer tournament, or the name of the dog they just adopted? That is thoughtfulness. When you remember that a team member is headed to the Northwoods for a weekend, or you follow up on a life event they mentioned in passing, you aren't just managing them. You are granting them dignity and signaling they are a human whose life matters outside the office.

Many leaders, especially experienced ones, often want to appear all-knowing. Remember, you are not. No one is. It is perfectly acceptable to say, “I don’t know.” It is humble, it is real, and it gains trust.

"Limiting beliefs are invisible cages we mistake for facts." — Nir Eyal

Beyond Belief by Nir Eyal is a fabulous new book that I am currently reading. This is not your normal self help book. It is science based with thorough research but very easy to read. In addition, the free resources on the author's website are practical and easily put into action. This is a book that will help people make very real changes in their personal and professional lives.

Be epic, not average. The world has enough average.
Interested in coaching for you or your team? Reach out and let’s talk.
Your thoughts and feedback are valued. I answer every email personally.
[email protected]
The photo in today’s web edition is of the Peshtigo River in WI.
The links in this newsletter are affiliate links and I earn a small commission on your purchase.