Today’s blog post is a guest post by Kat Roedell. Kat is not only a business owner here in Green Cove Springs, Florida, she also has a tremendous background in a variety of corporate leadership roles. Kat is actively growing her Mary Kay business and working as a leader with a local Women in Business Network group. She is a natural marketer and I think you’ll enjoy what she has to say about being a leader in your own small business – Kim Deppe

Leading on Purpose
By Kat Roedell

It often seems to me that on my journey to becoming a strong leader, the talent part came easy. I was always the one that started the project, the adventure, the imagination, and the other kids joined in. I never considered it special, and I really never did it intentionally – I was just always a leader. It came naturally.
As I grew, I realized that some of it was due to my basic spiritual beliefs. As a Christian, I am called to follow Christ, and bring others to Him. We are all leaders in that way. Another part of it was charisma, that ability to transfer my passions to others, to engage them in what I what I was doing and why I was doing it.
As I entered the workforce, I kind of took it for granted. I was the one people always came to for the answers. I didn’t question it, that was just the way it was. I always followed a strong moral compass, had an aversion to politics, and to this day I don’t use my influencing talent to manipulate people – in part because it is too easy, and it’s wrong. In my mind, one of the biggest sins you can commit is to use a position of power as a method to control others, or extort what you want out of them.
So, to get to my topic, Leading on Purpose, I was a leader – but I wasn’t a Leader, because I wasn’t working intentionally in my talents and skills. I led because I was good at it, but not because I chose to lead. I had to figure out where the line was between influencing and manipulation. This is what I discovered Leading on Purpose Means:

Actively Engaging Others For Their Benefit.

You aren’t looking to forward your own agenda when you lead on purpose, you find where your agenda and their agenda aligns, making a WIN/WIN solution for all.

Clearly Defining Your Goals.

If your goal isn’t clearly defined, how can you tell if it aligns with another’s? Being crystal clear on the finish line helps you elicit others into your vision without manipulation.

Pouring Belief Into Your Team.

As Leaders we see clearly where the gaps are in our team, and where the potential is in our team members. Pouring belief into your team mates can fill in the gaps in the foundation of their self-belief, and provide them with the tools to begin pouring belief into others. It lifts them out of their self-limiting viewpoint and puts them on a firm footing. Until people believe in themselves, they often cannot fulfill roles they haven’t stepped into yet.

Filling the Gaps.

Once the team is on the right track mentally, they can step up into places they haven’t yet. But it is still the Leader’s role to play the missing parts until you can replace the need with something or someone else. A Leader should be just as comfortable playing a support role as they are in the visible position.
Work When No One Is Looking.

Leading on purpose is about doing the “and then some.” It’s about rising to your personal challenges and facing them head on, regardless of who is watching. It’s about walking in integrity, and being your best you. When you set the example, on purpose – others will follow. That is Leading on Purpose.

You can E-mail Kat Roedell at katroedell@gmail.com or leave a comment below.

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