A Common Exchange
Question: How is your day?
Answer: Fine.
How many times have you had that exchange with someone? It all sounds good on the surface, and we walk on feeling that we have connected with someone. When we consider this exchange, however, it certainly lacks much enthusiasm or hope that the day will be special.
Making the Day Intentional
I know one leader who ends his conversations with people by challenging them to “Make Your Day Special.” As leaders, we understand the importance of initiating what will happen in our day, week, month, or year. It is not about waiting for things to hopefully happen, but rather working toward that end.
Defining a Great Day
What would a great day look like for you? What would happen to make you smile and say this has been a really good day? Most likely, it involves improving a situation, a process, or discovering a new innovation. Maybe it is finding that next great client to grow your organization. Whatever it is that you are hoping for, there is no time like the present to act.
Leadership in Challenging Times
Every leader has a choice when distressing things happen. They can sit and hope they get lucky, or they can take steps to produce a better tomorrow instead. During COVID, there were numerous businesses that thought they would fold. Some gave up and put a “closed” sign out within a short time of the pandemic. Others pivoted and came up with innovative ideas on how to stay in business. Beer producers started producing sanitizer, bakeries started selling ingredients that people couldn’t find in stores, and others sought out new markets.
Choosing Action Over Acceptance
We may not be able to control everything, but we can control our response. Leaders must choose to act even in imperfect situations. When we do, we create awesome days instead of accepting fine days. Awesome days provide us with stories to share of how we are innovating and succeeding. Fine days provide us with worry, stress, and only a glimmer of hope that things will work out.
Your Moment to Act
How will you use your day to make things better for yourself and others? Now is your moment!
Discover what it truly means to be a leader—visit our YouTube channel to learn more.