The Courageous Leader Within You – How It All Began March 7, 2022 by Belinda EganStarting your own business isn’t for everyone. Our journeys are all unique. Mine started when I saw a need, visualized how my unique set of talents, experiences, and skills filled that void and decided to do something about it. For 18 years in corporate America, I held sales and leadership roles. While the cubicle life was ultimately not for me, I was privileged to work with great and not-so-great leaders. I had the pleasure of witnessing those leaders’ impact on the individuals I worked alongside. I watched talented people stay and work harder while being encouraged and motivated by exceptional leaders. I also watched just as talented people wilt and walk away at the hand of poor leadership. I wish I could say the latter was not the norm, but it was. A good friend once said to me, You don’t make your best plumber the foreman. You keep them a plumber because that’s where their talent lies.” Yet too often, we promote the best plumber because they have seniority. After all, they were doing a great job because they were a rock-solid performer. Their accomplishments deserve recognition and reward, but it does not mean they are prepared to lead. They may not even be interested in leading. Leadership is like a secret sauce. You must listen, interpret, and seek to understand your people. When I discovered this secret, I knew how it differed from person to person, team to team, and organization to organization. This was when I knew I needed to do something about it. I needed to change the trajectory of leadership as we know it today. Developing Courageous Leaders is about identifying a person’s strengths AND weaknesses and helping them capitalize on BOTH of those things. Knowing this on a deep, intimate level and understanding how to implement it across various individuals, teams, and organizations has allowed me to help hundreds of leaders grow personally and professionally, creating winning teams and goal-crushing organizations. My goal has always been to make a difference in the lives of people who go to work every day to earn a living for their families but who want to do MORE than punch a clock time clock. Through leadership development, I hope to help people capitalize on their strengths, see their weaknesses, and make the most of the intertwining beauty that is their lives – professionally, personally, and anywhere in between. There are so many women out there in the same position I was years ago – at an unfair advantage to the men in the workplace, no clear direction OR coaching from their leaders, and knowing they have the capability to DO MORE but unsure of where to go next. I am here to help you! Don’t wait for someone else to invest in you. You have to make the decision to show up, stand out, and invest in yourself. You have the power to become a Courageous Leader and make a difference in the lives of those you serve. – Belinda PS. Sign up for my newsletter for more thought leadership strategies, research, and ongoing support. Sign Me Up!