Stepping Into Leadership

“Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.” ― John Maxwell

when I was in my 20s, I took a unit manager position at work. I had 20 beds that were my responsibility. wound care, month end changeover, care plans, multiple meetings daily, and on-call responsibilities.

While I had confidence in my ability to be an advocate for patients, I didn’t know how to successfully live and thrive in a leadership role. the moment it became evident I needed to grow a backbone was when I found myself hiding in the bathroom from a family member who scared me.

and it was then that I really started to learn.

around the same time, I found myself in marriage counseling. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through my JOB paid for eight weeks of it, and it was then that I began to learn how to effectively use my voice.

I took what I learned in both of those spaces and applied it to my budding photography business.

I’m a handsy shooter, direct and confident in my ability to create exactly what I’m working towards. but that skill would have been nothing if I didn’t start out a scared weirdo hiding in a bathroom, a broken woman sitting on a loveseat in my therapist’s office once a week.

the reason I’m sharing all of this is because maybe some of you need the reminder that you don’t become who you’re meant to be by staying where you are. You have to be willing to be scared, acknowledge it, and then make a plan to move past it.

who you’re meant to be doesn’t happen overnight. it takes years, decades. many, many mistakes and failures.

but do.it.anyway. start scared and keep moving forward.

and I’m so proud of me.

In the words of my business mentor, John maxwell:

The difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of and response to failure. John C. Maxwell