As Leaders,  there are so many lesson for us to learn!  We need fundamental business mechanics of course,  but we also need so much more.  A Leader is not a manager.  Managers manage people and processes, LEADERS grow people and processes!  To grow people, we must constantly be growing and evolving. Growth can be hard and often painful.

One painful lesson can be the importance of equipping and empowering people.  As women, we NEED to be needed.  It feels good when people turn to us with questions.  It is so easy to acquiesce with each request and desperate plea for help.   After all, we have all the answers right? Why shouldn’t we answer their questions and make it easy?

The answer is simple… because THEY DON’T LEARN ANYTHING!  It is like teaching your children to tie their shoes  (as a Mother, I relate much to Motherhood so forgive me if this is not a frame of reference for you).  You show them how, and let them practice.  If you tie their shoes for them every time they come to you, they never learn to tie them.  It may be slow and painful to watch at times but, it is part of the process.  By keeping your hands in your pockets, you are equipping them.  You empower them with the self esteem that can only come through accomplishment.  By tying their shoes, you enable them.  You also rob them of achievement and confidence.

It is the same with our teams.  If we answer the question, they come back to us for the next answer.  When we direct them to the answer, we equip them with knowledge and truly empower them with self sufficiency and confidence.  

Failure to equip and empower your people will lead to fatigue and burn out.  Each of us is a generator.  And our generator produces a finite amount of power.  It is enough energy to power only so many people.   It is essential that we grow people and then unplug them to make room for the next person.  If you feel exhausted and drained… it is time to unplug some one.  Remember to keep a little reserve energy for you and your family!

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 Michelle Archer is a certified coach with over 20 years experience in direct sales. Michelle works with companies and individuals to explode their business potential. Connect with her on Facebook Learn more at http://directsalesinstitute.com/