Once upon a time I thought leadership was some fancy word that only existed in the corporate world. It was reserved for those well educated, in high positions and getting massive salaries.
Now I understand leadership to be something all of us are able to do in all areas of our lives: as a parent, friend, business owner, colleague, client, career person etc.
So how does it really work? The following is me making sense of leadership as I understand it. There may be more to this but I like to keep things simple. That is one of my strengths as English is not my first language, I have a way or just saying things simply without too many big words or language some people can’t understand.
Here are the 7 Principles I have observed and follow in the role of an awesome Solopreneur Leader:
- Leading by Example – the solopreneur usually has overcome the challenge they are solving for people and will only teach and mentor others in areas they have had the success. They teach the steps on how they have been able to do it and have the results to show that what they are teaching works for them and those they are helping.
- Always 3-5 steps ahead of their followers – the solopreneur leader is on a journey of constant and never ending improvement. They are learning, trialling new ways of getting quicker results and developing new strategies to improve their system. This leaders also invests in other leaders further ahead of themselves to keep growing, developing and creating value.
- Gets up the earliest and finishes the latest – while others may only frequent a normal 9-5 day and weekends off – the solopreneur leader is on a mission to create massive change and the new normal is utilising the hours in the day when others are normally sleeping in, watching TV or socialising. They are not always in this intense state, as they also love to sleep in, watch some TV and socialise, the only difference is that they take care of being a leader first and then take the time off as a reward.
- They are OK to feel alone at times – being a solopreneur leader can be a lonely place at times as many may not understand this way of life. Leaderships like anything has its pros and cons and this is one thing that can happen on the journey.
- They generally are the first to try something new – many have a fear to go where others have not gone before. The solopreneur leader is not one of those. They make the road others will use. Not all roads end up being used, but when they discover the one that leads to the City of Success, it becomes a Highway that others can speed up to get to their Success too.
- They can take feedback and criticism in their stride – another con of leadership is that you will be stand out and be criticised and sabotaged. The solopreneur leader knows this comes with the role they are in and any feedback, criticism and sabotage is embraced as signs of more success and their strong mindset is able to stay out of EGO and into a resourceful and problem solving state. The solopreneur leader is super resourceful and always in a quick problem solving state.
- They inspire others to model the path to leadership – the solopreneur leader wants others to join on the highway to success. Their mindset is that of abundance not scarcity and competition. They know that there is plenty for everyone and the more that succeed the better the world we live in. They are the stone that creates the ripples that spread far and wide.
Leadership is a state of Being at all times. It is you that must decide you want to be a leader. If this is the path you want to create for yourself, start Doing what Solopreneur leaders do and before you know it others will be following in your footsteps.
In simple words – See IT (in your mind’s eye), Say IT (daily as an affirmation), Feel IT (through your body), Do IT (the final step to making it a reality). Just take action!
Work Hard – Play Hard!
Love Nat x
