One thing I’ve learned over the years is that when you lead, your followers will find fault in your decisions. It doesn’t matter if you are a mom or dad heading up your household, the CEO of a large corporation, or the president of the United States. There are always naysayers questioning your decision-making skills. My experience has been that the naysayers rarely take the leap to actually leading. They are comfortable in their lane of criticizing.
The question is why then would you want to be a leader? It is easier to be a follower. No one asks a follower why they made the choice they made. You never get caught holding the “bag” when you follow; you can always point your finger at the person calling the shots.
Leaders have many advantages; the best is that when you lead, you make the decisions. I dislike being beholden to others and I dislike being told what to do. I’ve been a rebel since I was a kid, and I guess that trait runs deep in me. I’d much rather be in charge of my life. Being in charge means the buck always stops with me. But I’m in control of my outcomes which is appealing to me.
Being a leader doesn’t mean bossing people around and getting them to do things for you. Great leaders share their skills, want their followers to grow, and delegate tasks so they can free up time for other objectives.
Great leaders have a peer group that will support their vision. None of us “do it alone” and learning leadership skills is important for personal growth. Leaders gain access to people who will help them shine and leaders find doors opening when they arrive versus the alternative… never arriving.
Here are a few tips to build your leadership skills
Start with compassion
Listen
Show up
Do what you say you will
Take criticism well
Learn to accept that some people will always dislike your choices, don’t take it personally
Mentor
Decide then take action
Learn that mistakes are part of the process and can help with growth
Make a plan and adjust as circumstances change
Focus on solving problems and the actions needed
Know that outcomes are a reflection of the actions
Give credit when it’s due
Set your phone, paperwork, or computer aside when someone wants your attention
When you start practicing leadership skills you’ll find people turn to you for guidance. Not everyone has leadership in their heart, but for those who do; your access to others will be limited only by your willingness to expose yourself. Leaders have to be brave.
Leadership isn’t connected to frugal living, however, when you begin your journey several of the tips I’ve provided will come in handy. For example, when you begin living within your means, some people may disagree with your choice. They may say you only need to count on making more money, so why deny yourself the “pleasures” our wealthy society offers? That’s when “Learn to accept that some people will always dislike your choices, don’t take it personally” Will come in handy.
I have strong feelings about frugal living, and I want everyone I know to learn from my experience, successes, and failures. I want the people I love to have success as well.
Do you want to improve your leadership skills in 2023? How can these skills be measured?
If you have a job, your leadership skills will be rewarded with a promotion. If you are self-employed, your leadership skills will be rewarded with more clients.
In relationships, you’ll be rewarded with respectful interpersonal communication.
Leadership requires decision-making. That skill alone will help you advance professionally and personally.
Each day I have to decide what to cook for our main meal of the day. I ask my spouse what he wants for lunch, he rarely has any idea what would be good to eat. If I let our lunch be decided by mutual agreement, we’d go hungry. Lately, we’ve been meeting up with friends once a month for brunch or lunch. It’s unusual for me to participate in dining out, but it’s been great for my spouse so it is now a regular part of our life and it’s worth the expense. My spouse decides where we will eat. He doesn’t ask me, he tells me, and it’s been fantastic. I really don’t care where we eat; I can always find something I enjoy. It’s a relief to have someone else make the choice for me.
This is how others will feel when you step up and make decisions, (except the naysayers). It’s a relief to follow on occasion, and sometimes it’s nice to be in charge. When you are in your wheelhouse, leadership comes naturally. Recognize that by and large, most people will be happy to follow.
An advantage of being a leader is that whatever you are endeavoring to accomplish, it will be reinforced when you help others in your quest. It’s said that the best way to learn something is to teach it to someone else, and what is teaching but leadership?
How then can we improve our leadership skills by practicing a frugal lifestyle? Simply share your experience with others and teach them a few easy ways to gain control over their spending. You may not be ready to share your journey with others if you are very new to living a frugal lifestyle, but if you’ve had a couple of successes you can share. That is a great way to help others become masters of their financial destinies.
Once you have shared with another person or a few people how well your frugal journey is going you will have the benefit of your own frugal tribe. The support network you will build will last, because a frugal living will always be challenging and rewarding. Some people will come and go, but you will likely have a few people in your tribe that last a lifetime. How great is that? You will be able to bounce ideas off one another and provide support as needed and you’ll have others who understand your struggles, and your accomplishments as you work towards your debt-free goal. Fantastic!
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Few Buck Lunch: Cook Food. Save Money.
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