Think of a leader who has had a significant impact on your life. Who is he or she? What made them have a significant effect on you?
I can think of a handful of leaders who have had that kind of impact on me. From Rick South to Michael Hyatt to Donald Miller, these leaders poured themselves into others so they could grow.
I’ve watched Rick go on to great things as he left the youth ministry to take over a church. Donald and Michael have both continued to evolve and grow in the way they lead and minister to others.
Their impact, their leadership stands out to me.
Photo by Chris Slupski on Unsplash
4 Ways To Stand Out As A Leader
The actions of leaders will cause them to stand out, especially to those they lead. When I reflect on Rick, Michael, and Donald, many of their actions have imprinted on me. Their actions were impactful.
But what were those actions? What did these leaders do to stand out? They did the following:
Treat people well:
All three of these men treated others well. I have the most personal experience with Rick South. He was my youth pastor during my middle and high school years. Then, I transitioned into a youth leader position at the church and he became a closer leader to me.
He always treated people well. He didn’t look at their status, actions, or wealth. What Rick cared about was the person in front of him. He always treated others well.
People want to be cared for. They want to know their leader values them. One of the best ways to do this is to treat them well and respectfully.
As you do this, people will notice you because you’re different. You’re not a respecter of persons. You’re a valuer of people.
Excel at what you do:
Michael Hyatt was my mentor from afar. I followed most of what he did online. I had a couple of great in-person interactions with him.
Why did Michael stand out to me? Because he excelled at what he did.
Whether it was his time at Thomas Nelson Publishers or the content he created on his website, Michael excelled at what he did. His skill stood out above the rest.
Do you know what you do? Do you know what you do well? If you do, pursue excellence in those areas. Become the best you can be. If you don’t, seek out insight from others. Ask them what they see you doing well. Then begin working on those skills.
The more you excel, the more you stand out.
Train others:
All three of these men did something that stood out to me. They took the time to train others. Rick did this by training up those in youth ministry. He saw potential and he pulled it out of those around him. Michael and Donald created books that trained others. They went beyond that to courses that helped others become better leaders, spouses, and businesspeople.
You have the ability to pour into others through training. The training doesn’t have to be formal. You can train others through informal methods.
Whatever you do, make sure you’re training them up right.
Accept responsibility:
What happens when you make a mistake? Or decide to take the wrong course of action? Do you own up to it? Do you run and hide? Or do you own up to your decisions and accept responsibility?
Great leaders, leaders that stand out, accept responsibility. They know they won’t always bat a thousand. What they do know is that they have to stand behind their choices. They have to accept responsibility.
When things go wrong in your organization, examine what went wrong. See where you guys went off-course. See where your responsibility lies.
As you do this, people will see you’re unwilling to pass the buck. Instead, you stand firm and accept responsibility for your actions.
