Have you ever worked with a business leader who seemed to have it all together?  Have you met those on the other end of the spectrum who call themselves business leaders, but are, in fact, doing more harm then good?  Have you seen other leaders, still, who you are undecided about?

Where are you in the Leadership Maturity Spectrum?  In order to be that extraordinary leader, and run an extraordinary business, knowing where you are is essential to getting where you want to be.

What would happen if you were completely off track, and put your emphasis on areas wherein you were only marginally good?  Would you ever reach a level of Leadership Maturity that could make a difference in your organization?

Being a Mature Leader will affect all areas of your business, and your life, for that matter.  It involves your ability to make decisions, managing your expectations, providing a model of your expectations, excepting assistance from others, trusting your team and other elements.  Interestingly that while you “give up control” of every area of your business, you are actually increasing capability and capacity of the business.

You can see a similar pattern in raising children – younger parents tend to shelter their children.  They protect them from every bump and bruise, people, situations, etc.  What happens, unfortunately, is these children grow up to be very poor decision makers, and often incapable of living completely independently.

Your business needs the same freedom to stretch and grow.  As a mature leader, you can see this – you would never want to hold the business from reaching its potential.  You understand that it takes a community to shape and grow a business.  It takes employees, managers, investors, the community and customers to shape how the business will fit into the industry and the marketplace.  While you will provide direction and framework, giving your business the room to grow will be the greatest gift you can give it.

Growing into a mature leader is not an overnight process, either.  Part of growth is experience.  While it is valuable to learn from other people’s experiences and avoid some of the pitfalls many leaders encounter, learning from your mistakes and from your successes will plant a solid foundation for you.  Knowing yourself, your strengths and your limitations will only help strengthen that foundation so that as you grow, you know where you will need compensation and where to place the emphasis.

Keep in mind where you are and seek to grow.  We all have room to do so.  Most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask those who may know.  It takes a community.

Aepiphanni Business Solutions is a Strategy Consulting Firm dedicated to serving the needs of business leaders and executives. We specialize in helping people get into business, and stay there.  We welcome clients in the personal and professional services industries, including restaurants, catering and event planning.  As always, we welcome your comments, thoughts, questions and suggestions.  If you are seeking a business assessment, or have further questions about creating your strategy or developing your vision, please give me, Rick Meekins, a call at 678-265-3908, or email us at [email protected].