This week we are excited to bring to you a part 1 of a new series on The Five Things a CEO Can Learn From Vistage: Becoming a Confident Leader
Are You an Accomplished Leader?
“Bob,” he posed, “Do you consider yourself to be an accomplished CEO?”
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- How long have you been in business?
At the time, it was 14 years.
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- What’s your yearly revenue?
It was well north of seven figures.
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- How many people do you employ?
There were 15-16 people on payroll at the time.
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- Has the business survived any recessions?
Two, actually.
Lance then repeated his initial question: “Bob, do you consider yourself to be an accomplished CEO?”
Confidence Is Key
I’d been so busy looking at my goals that I’d neglected to look at the journey. I couldn’t see the forest through the trees. I couldn’t see that I was, in fact, a successful CEO. I accomplished more in those 14 years than most others do in a lifetime.
Then it hit me – I’d lost my confidence. That interaction helped restore it as well as my sense of direction. The transformation from uncertain and doubting to a fearless, self assured CEO was drastic. I felt like a caterpillar breaking free from my chrysalis.
Now, my purpose in telling the story is this: every leader has these kinds of doubts at one time or another. It is normal. But it is vital not to let those doubts break you or weigh you down.Confident and accomplished leaders are born by remembering who we are, where we were, and how far we’ve come.
That is why, as leaders, we need the support of good friends and coaches to help us keep our minds in the game. We need people who can help us own-up to our fears, answer the hard questions, and move forward with direction. We need people who’ve been there before, so they can help guide us through the dark times. Vistage is that support group.