In order to lead and have leadership success it is essential that you always know the answer to this question. What in my next step?
A plan or a decision is nothing unless action is taken.
Now in order to take action there is only one thing you need to know; what's your next step. Make the next step as small as possible and; take it.
Now the question is; What's my next step? Again take it - that's the key to making progress to any objective. Please note not any old step will do. The next step must be in the direction of your objective. The goal is to create the shortest path to the objective.
It takes courage to act. What's courage? Here's my definition - It's the commitment to be the best you can be. The next stage in this thing called courage is that when action is required, the natural thing that arises in every bodies mine is doubt. Now you have courage by going back to your commitment to be the best you can be and then bypass your doubts and take action in spite of your doubts. Think about it; how many times have you been stuck in doubt? What was lacking was the commitment. Commitment is what you need to have the courage to take action.
Many people sit and sit and don't put the pedal to the metal - step on the gas. They have fear and doubt. They won't say charge. They won't take a step. They don't know the direction thus they don't know what to do.
What moved you to take action where as they didn't? What did you do in doubt?
Now let's get back to leadership success step 6. What's your next step?
You have a plan. And what's a plan? It is nothing more than a series of small steps in a direction you want to go.
To take action on your plan you must be present and take one step at a time. The next step is the most important one. No matter how small or big it might be.
Is the plan giving you problems? Just take a closer look and break it down into smaller steps. The smaller the steps the easier it is to follow the plan.
Be confident. Take a step. Once the step is taken, reassess the situation to see if you are on course. No problem, take the next step. You may have had to make a course correction or a step or two backwards. Just identify the next step and take it, take it with confidence and others will follow.
Expect to succeed. Don't over complicate things.
It's easy for you and you team to take small easy steps. When you drive down the road at night, you can only see clearly about 200 feet in front of you. 200 feet, that is equivalent to the next step. Yet you can make it clear across the country driving at night taking that next step, that 200 feet of road. Know the direction you want to go in, make a decision, and take a step in that direction. You know know space craft are off course 90% of the time or more. The next step can get you back on course.