Who doesn’t vividly recall the excited sense of responsibility that comes from being given (and taking) responsibility for leading a group of others. For me, this was leading a team of three infantry scouts in the early 90s, a daunting, yet exhilarating opportunity. I made plenty of mistakes along the way, but the experienced shaped both my leadership perspectives and who I am today. Great post here, that everyone should read….

Leadership Freak

Leading a team for the first time is exhilarating and stressful. If you aren’t nervous, you’re oblivious.

Confidence:

Real confidence is rooted in your ability to try, learn, persist, work hard, and deliver results. That’s what got you here. Believe it.

Fairy-tale confidence is saying its so, when it isn’t so, in order to make it so. “I’m confident, I can do this,” for example. You don’t need to pump yourself up. Others believe in you; believe in yourself.

Shift:

The challenge of leading a team for the fist time is giving assignments, not taking them.

Taking on challenges got you here;
giving them takes you there. 

Helpful honesty:

I always asked new instructors if they planned to tell their first class it was their first time. It was my way of discussing helpful honesty.

Indulgent honesty focuses on what’s best for you. Helpful honesty focuses on what’s best for them.

Leaders ultimately…

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