You don't have to be a perfect leader

When I was growing up – back in the dark ages before you could skip commercials – there were a series of ads on TV encouraging people to become foster parents.The message was simple: you don’t have to be a perfect parent to become a foster parent, you just have to care.It seems that a major impediment to recruiting people to take in a child in the foster care system was that people didn’t believe they were “good enough” to be foster parents.But no one has perfect parents, and these kids just needed someone who would be there for them during a really challenging time.The same can be said about leadership.You will never be a perfect leader, but don’t let that stop you from showing up.Improving your skills is admirable, but the most important thing you can bring to bear is caring about helping your people grow.You’ll stumble along the way. You will absolutely get it wrong from time to time. But you’ll also have a tremendous impact on the people you choose to lead if you are willing to show up and care.OPPORTUNITY FOR ACTION: Write yourself a note and refer to it each morning: Perfection is reserved for people who don’t show up. Showing up is messy, but it's the only way to make a difference.My free PDF, “100 Questions for Better 1-1 Meetings,” will help you upgrade the 1-1 conversations with your people so you can easily unearth their hidden potential and uncover valuable insights about your organization. Grab it today!