Seth Godin on the Discomfort of Leadership

 

Seth Godin, author of Tribes, writes a blog on leadership at sethsblog.com.  He quotes his book, “Leadership is scarce because few people are willing to go through the discomfort required to lead.”

He continues with:

 “It’s uncomfortable to stand up in front of strangers.
It’s uncomfortable to propose an idea that might fail.
It’s uncomfortable to challenge the status quo.
It’s uncomfortable to resist the urge to settle.”

 And this.” When you identify the discomfort, you’ve found the place where a leader is needed.”

The discomfort I have worked with for 20 years is the discomfort of being the center of attention and speaking in front of groups.  People who have this discomfort have it because they have a lot to say and it is scary to have that much to say! And what if they don’t say it perfectly? The magic of this particular discomfort is that when you face it, it transforms into power and energy. Discomfort is a sign that there is real energy present in the situation. Are you willing to face your discomfort about speaking, performing and sharing your talents with the world? Are you willing to lead?