I am a leader

         What makes a good leader?  There are many types of leaders out there, and I have personally experienced good leadership and poor leadership.  What was common of poor leaders was that they would talk a big game, but have no follow-through, nor would they be willing to do the same job they would give their underlings, and they often blamed others for their mistakes.  Good leaders on the other hand were willing to work in the trenches, delegate task appropriately, took responsibility for their mistakes, and most importantly inspired/elevated those around them.  It is that last quality I work hard at.  By elevating others, so do we elevate ourselves.  Being a leader is not in telling other people what to do, it is to support and guide them into doing things for themselves.  I've learned a lot from the many leaders I have had, good or bad, I've held many leadership positions, and I continue to learn about leadership through my role as a business owner.

        I've learned it is okay not to know all the answers, leaders are human after all.  In fact, I've learned that the best leaders are not afraid to admit when they don't know something, because they are willing to learn and grow, and work with their team to find an answer or solution.   The more I think about my own journey, and the almost 4 years I've been a business owner, the more I realize that it is important to stay true to who you are, and not try to fit some mold.  I feel I am still growing into my leadership position, and still figuring out the best way to lead my company.

       There is a saying, "If you want to lead, you must first learn to follow." Ben Franklin.  I have been in the health care industry as an acupuncturist for 11 years now, so I know what things worked, and what things I wanted to change as a leader and business owner.  I am naturally an empathetic person, so I find it easy to place myself in another's position.  The part I still struggle with, and that I've seen of other business owners, is that at the end of the day, it is still a business, and bills need to be paid.  What I'm getting at, is sometimes you will have to make unpopular decisions, that are ultimately for the good of the business.

        Last thing I want to touch on is this, although I am still a student in Kung Fu, I would, one day, like to be at the front of the class teaching.  Kung Fu has been such a great tool of self discovery for me, I would love to help others learn more about themselves, while learning a really cool ancient art.