A Leaders Pathway To Greatness by Mark Wager

A Leaders Pathway To Greatness.   

By Mark Wager

It’s nice to be good at something but it’s better to be great but that is not always possible especially when it comes to Leadership. It’s difficult to be a good Leader because everyone requires something different from their Leader. You can have a Leader that some people rate highly but at the same time there will be others that have a negative rating for the same Leader. People are complex so if you have managed to become a good leader that is quite a remarkable achievement and no one will blame you if you stop there but greatness is possible, you just need to know the path to get there which is why in this week’s article I want to share with you some practical tips on how to walk that pathway to greatness.

Greatness is a choice 

“You were designed for accomplishment, engineered for success, and endowed with the seeds of greatness.” - Zig Ziglar

I’ve had the honour of coaching people who have achieved greatness in their chosen fields of expertise. Oscar nominees, World Cup winners, Olympic athletes and during all of this time there’s one clear theme that comes through very clearly during all the meetings I’ve had with these people and it’s that greatness is a choice. Just think about that lesson for a moment and consider the consequences that our pathway to greatness isn’t defined by our circumstances, nor by our education, nor by our access to finances but it’s all about one thing, a choice and a decision to become great.

Embrace failure 

“Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.“ - Oprah Winfrey

People like winning and it’s understandable because winning feels great, it’s so good that we celebrate winning even if it’s not us that directly contributed to the victory. As an example, ask yourself what you do when your favourite sports team wins a trophy? You celebrate. This attraction to winning can make the pathway to greatness more challenging because in order to be great you first have to accept that you are not and that is difficult for a lot of people. You have to realise that you are at the bottom of a new ladder and it’s going to take a lot of time and effort to get to the top.

Understand yourself

“Seek not greatness, but seek truth and you will find both.” - Horace Mann

You can’t lead others until you are fully able to lead yourself. In order to achieve this you need to be prepared to do several things, you need to be able to listen to feedback both positive and negative and you have to be willing never to take the feedback personally but always take it seriously. The lessons you need to learn can always be found within the comments you didn’t want to hear, so encourage people to have the courage to be honest with you so you can understand that what you are saying is not the same as what people are hearing.

Understand people 

‘The price of greatness is responsibility” - Winston Churchill

Good leaders can lead people who are the same as them but great leaders can lead anybody. To become a great leader you need to understand how people including yourself have an internal bias and how that bias influences their interactions. I encourage you to learn as much about False Consensus as you can. False consensus means that we tend to attribute positive traits to our own view of the world and to people who share our viewpoint while attributing negative traits to those who have different views. This creates misunderstandings in the workplace because people have different interpretations of the same information.

Give yourself permission to want more 

“Greatness will come by looking forward” - Pete Buttigieg 

In this corner of the world we encourage people to become successful but when people achieve success they are not always treated in the way that they expected. There is a definite element of what is called “Tall poppy syndrome” in which successful people or people striving for success are unfairly criticised. When you start your journey to greatness you will encounter a lot of pressure from people not to aim too high. You need to give yourself permission to want more. It doesn’t mean you are not grateful for what you have but it’s okay to want more from life.

Have high expectations 

“Success isn't always about greatness. It's about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come’ - Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson

The most successful people I know always set expectations for themselves higher than the expectations that other people set for them. So if someone expects you to achieve 80% on a test then you need to set a goal for yourself of 90% you need to set high expectations not only in your work but in all aspects of your life especially with the small details. If you demand high expectations from yourself in everything you do then you will build the habits necessary for greatness. 

Never stop learning 

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other."- John F Kennedy 

The best Leaders are also the most eager learners. Always remember you won’t be the first Leader to achieve greatness. In fact many people have gone on the same journey and the good news for you is that success leaves clues so short cut your pathway by embracing those lessons. Read books, attend lectures, watch videos apply for training programmes and if possible work with a Leadership Coach like myself. Look at the world’s top performers in their chosen fields. You won’t find many  without a coach and that’s not a coincidence. The journey to greatness isn’t a singular journey and you don’t have to be alone.

Enjoy the journey 

“The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent.“ - Arnold Schwarzenegger 

Let me share a story with you. When Arnold Schwarzenegger, the famous Actor, former Governor of Los Angeles and multiple time winner of body building competitions was in the gym he was lifting heavy weights and with each lift he was smiling. One of his competitors approached him and asked him why was he smiling. Arnold Schwarzenegger replied he was smiling, because each lift was taking him one step closer to his goal. The lesson here is to enjoy the journey, it’s going to be long and difficult but if you embrace each step then it’s only a matter of time before you achieve greatness.

Are you a manager struggling with poor-performing staff, team motivation, or effective delegation? As an experienced leadership Coach with over 30 thirty years managerial experience Mark Wager specialises in helping managers like you tackle these challenges head-on. Imagine transforming your team’s performance, boosting morale, and mastering delegation, so you’re not shouldering all the work. 

With tailored strategies and personalised support, Mark will empower you to lead with confidence and ease. Work together to unlock your full potential and create a thriving, productive workplace. Reach out today and take the first step towards exceptional leadership. Contact Mark for a free 30 minute strategy session