The Hidden Power of Small Steps in Leadership

In this episode, we discuss an essential trait of extraordinary leaders – their ability to take small steps. While most people associate leaders with casting grand visions and inspiring their teams, truly exceptional leaders understand the importance of breaking down those visions into small, achievable steps.

This episode was recorded live as part of our What Leaders Do series, where we share bite-sized leadership lessons designed to challenge your thinking and provide practical insights. Join our community for free to participate in our next live session.

How Do You Move a Boat?

The inspiration for this discussion comes from Brian’s memorable experience during a trip to Maui. He observed a small yacht stranded on a reef after a massive storm. The yacht’s owners took small, incremental steps over a few days to detach the boat and navigate it back into the harbor. This incident served as a powerful lesson in leadership – the need to stay focused on the big vision while also adapting and breaking it down into manageable steps.

Extraordinary leaders prioritize breaking down objectives, even though they may initially overlook them due to other pressing matters. Those who break down the vision often have previous experience in the same positions they now lead. They understand the resources, challenges, and emotional struggles of pursuing ambitious goals.

Struggling with Vision

Some leaders may struggle with casting a big vision, and that’s okay. Not every leader needs to be a visionary. Some successful leaders excel at executing plans and surround themselves with visionaries or implementers to complement their skills.

Brian suggests leaders use time increments to break down big visions into smaller goals. By considering what can be achieved in a year, a quarter, a month, or even a week, teams can better comprehend the steps needed to reach their vision. Celebrating each milestone further motivates individuals and fosters a sense of connection within the team.

Taking small steps in leadership offers numerous advantages. It allows leaders to understand the needs of their team better and adapt to changing circumstances. Leaders who take this approach are mindful of the process, focus on the individual’s strengths, and practice their adaptive capacities.

Questions for You to Consider

Take a moment to ponder one or all of these questions. First by yourself, then with a friend or colleague.

1. How do you break down your big visions into smaller, achievable steps? Are these steps contextualized to your team members’ unique needs and understanding?
2. Have you considered surrounding yourself with complementary skillsets? Are you comfortable not being the primary visionary but instead focusing on execution and support? How do your Strengths fit with this idea?
3. Do you celebrate the small achievements along the way, or do you push for continuous progress? How can you balance motivation and rest for yourself and your team members to avoid burnout?

Taking small steps as a leader is not just about achieving big goals; it’s also about building a resilient, motivated, and cohesive team. Breaking down grand visions into achievable milestones fosters a sense of connection, encourages progress, and sets the stage for extraordinary leadership.

We challenge you to work on breaking down your big vision into small steps, maybe many small steps. And we would love to hear what this looks like for you. Connect with us here!