Unlock Your Leadership Potential with the 5 D’s of Owning Your Role

I hope this post finds you in great spirits! I’m thrilled to kick off an exciting series that’s all about helping you truly own your role as a leader. We’ll be diving into “The 5 D’s of Owning Your Role,” and I can’t wait to share insights and strategies that will empower you on your journey.

 

Imagine you’re a child again, back in the midst of summer. Your parent comes to you with a surprise: “Guess what? We’re taking the whole family on a spontaneous road trip!” The excitement of this incredible adventure fills you with joy.

 

But then your parent continues, “We don’t actually know where we’re headed, how long it’ll take to get there, and oh, by the way, the car’s air conditioner is broken, the radio only tunes to AM stations, and no electronic devices are allowed.”

 

At what point in that description did you lose interest? For most, it’s that broken AC in the scorching summer that does it.

Translating this scenario to leadership, it’s akin to asking your team to trust, follow, and be enthusiastic about each day’s journey. But, would you truly want to embark on that journey without a clear destination? Probably not.

Imagine, however, that the only change is the destination itself. Instead of an unknown location, your family is headed to your all-time favorite vacation spot. Suddenly, all those other inconveniences become more bearable. Depending on how incredible that spot is, they might even seem insignificant.

No one wants to follow a so-called leader who lacks a clear destination. Sure, people might tolerate it for a while, but you can’t expect genuine commitment solely based on a paycheck.

The initial step to truly owning your role is DECIDING on your destination. In simpler terms, having a crystal-clear and compelling vision for your business, which you then share with those you wish to rally behind you. And no, a vague desire to “help everyone” won’t cut it.

Think of Steve Jobs and his call for his team to “Think Different,” Bill Gates’ vision of a “computer on every desk and in every home,” Oprah’s aspiration for everyone to “Live Your Best Life,” and Walt Disney’s dream to create “The Happiest Place on Earth.”

These leaders are known as “visionaries” because they not only knew where they were headed but also envisioned carrying others along. The right people jumped aboard and supported these visions wholeheartedly. All of this was possible because they first made the decision about what they wanted.

Consider two crucial points when crafting or refining your vision.

First, all the visions mentioned earlier were relatable to their target audience and easy to share with others. They weren’t needlessly complex, making them simple to grasp and pass on, even going “viral.”

Second, don’t keep your vision locked away. Sharing it with everyone you know will speed up its realization. Even people you don’t think can contribute.

Cameron Herold, in his book “Vivid Vision,” encourages vision creators to share their written vision with everyone—team members, investors, clients, acquaintances, family, friends, everyone in your network—and watch how swiftly results start showing.

 

So, whether you’re an orthodontist aiming to “Design Smiles for a Lifetime,” a shoe designer like Tom striving to “Make Shoes that Leave an Impact,” or an online shoe store like Zappos, aspiring to “Deliver Happiness,” your role is to inspire people to opt in and stand behind your cause, and, ultimately, buy from you.

 

And just so you know, I’m not just preaching. In case you aren’t aware, my vision is to reverse the trends of divorce, addiction, and suicide among business owners and their teams. That’s why I created the Team Transformation Experience. In a regular year, I’d visit around 30-40 offices to spread my message. With the TTE, I can reach 3-5 times that number in a single day.

My aim is to gather over 100 offices for each event. If this vision resonates with you and you’d like to contribute, I’m asking you to share this message with anyone who needs to hear it, someone whose team could benefit from it too.

So, what’s your vision for your business? What kind of mark do you want to make on the world? This isn’t a casual question to overlook or keep to yourself. If you truly want to make your journey smoother by having enthusiastic fans join you on your mission, it’s a question worth pondering.

 

Proactive, Productive, and Profitable

 

Dino Watt