Fear is a natural part of life; I'd go so far as to say if you're not afraid of anything, you haven't truly challenged yourself!
Leading doesn't require being fearless; it requires courage. “Courage” is feeling the fear and doing it anyway.
Yesterday we celebrated the life of a true and courageous leader, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This quote of his is my favorite:
In case it's not obvious, it's my favorite specifically because it identifies the root of interpersonal conflict as a failure to communicate, and that is something that is 100% in our control to improve!
Another example of a leader who “felt the fear and did it anyway” is this week's podcast guest, Karen Friar, CFO of Benco Dental. Karen's story is unique because she worked her way to the top having started as an intern at Benco Dental, and challenged herself to go rung by rung up the ladder in the company, ultimately becoming Benco's youngest and first female CFO. If that doesn't take tenacity and courage, I don't know what does!
Karen and I also have a fun history, as we first met and started coaching together several years ago when we were both pregnant! Needless to say, that's not a common experience I share with most clients, but it certainly did lay the groundwork for a great bonding experience.
Listen to Karen's courageous story.
Lastly, here's a special confidence- and courage-boosting opportunity just for you: I'm personally inviting you to a FREE, LIVE 1-day event: “The Heart of Success: How High Performing Entrepreneurs Move from Self Doubt to Purpose and Prosperity” on Wednesday, January 20th (TOMORROW!) from 12-5 pm EST.
I'm honored to be one of the speakers at the event, along with a number of other fabulous high-performance coaches. For more information and to register, check it out.
Hope to see you there!
Here's to your success,
Laura
