Lead Yourself!

​Leaders are taught, not born.

Leaders are learners, not naturally talented.

Leaders learn from failure, not always successful.

To be a good leader, one must want to lead and put in the necessary work. Ford Harding, the author of the bestselling book, Rain Making: Attract New Clients No Matter What Your Field, says he discovered several commonalities in all-star business leaders.

1. Leaders are highly productive early in their careers
   Leaders learned early to develop client relationships and build loyalty. These young professionals found the unpopular project others in the firm did not like and cranked out project after project in unpopular disciplines. This mix of client relationship building and productivity creates marketing savvy few young professionals are willing to develop.
2. Leaders take an interest in marketing early in their careers.
   Leaders find marketing tasks they are either good at or can develop and exercise those tasks to perfection. For some, it may be networking and the ability to build a large and loyal network of professionals who feed them consistent leads. For others, it may be writing excellent marketing content, project photography, presenting subject matter expertise, cross-selling other services, etc.
3. Leaders credential themselves and never stop learning.
   Whatever your field, leaders understand the value of credentialing and specializing. Leaders discover opportunities to both expand and deepen their skills, both technical and business. Formal recognition of your abilities establishes trust and confidence with clients. Great leaders never stop learning or growing in their profession.
4. Leaders look for ways to improve their firm’s services.
   Beyond their personal brand and ability to produce, leaders have a keen eye for continual improvement. Leaders find ways to save money, create efficiencies, and improve the business performance of their firms. And this happens primarily because leaders find ways to make and keep clients happy.
5. Leaders become specialists.
   Leaders eventually become specialists. Rather than generalizing, doing different projects with different clients in different markets, leaders hone in on one or two areas of specialty and become experts with deep knowledge and experience. This depth creates a bench of steady clients and a stellar reputation within the leader’s given market.
   
   

My challenge to you is this. Make yourself a good leader. Do not settle for letting your career come to you, but create the career you want. Be productive, learn to market, credential, improve your company, and specialize.