Obstacles 
Obstacles are barriers to action. In next week’s Leadership Insight call, we’re going to talk about our biggest obstacle: ourselves! If you ask someone what’s holding them back from reaching a goal, you will get varied answers: the economy, weather, genetics, time, money, education, another person, or lack of resources. The list of excuses is endless. But, really, what keeps us from reaching a goal, more than anything, is simply… US. If we can overcome the internal obstacles, we will very often find a way to overcome – or at least deal with – the external circumstances. I coach business executives, teams, individuals, and entrepreneurs on a daily basis, and as we set goals and start to pursue them, inevitably, the obstacles come. Most of them can be cleared. But there are two big stop signs that may emerge, and these are the game changers: pride and insecurity. A team with these issues has true obstacles, and these must be dealt with before progress can be made. The fact is, pride and insecurity are both rooted in the same soil – focus on self. Pride says, “I, and I alone, can do it all.” And insecurity says, “I can do nothing at all.” The fact is, both statements are inaccurate. Each of us has strengths and, conversely, weaknesses. The best teams I know are ones where each member brings his or her strengths to the table and offers them in service to the goal. They do not come with pride. They do not come with insecurity. Instead, they bring the calm confidence of knowing who they are and what they have been gifted to do. With that, we can immediately get to work and start to push through the external obstacles. There is no room at the success table for pride or insecurity. Our guest on Monday is Mike Harbour. I was inspired by a video in one of Mike’s recent blogs – the story of O.J. Brigance. O.J. cannot do it all himself – he must rely on others. And yet, he does not lament and say he can’t do anything, either. Every day, he brings his strengths of leadership and motivation to the table – and every day, he makes a significant difference. 
We’re starting our next Inner Circle Series Leadership Gold on January 22. It’s all about overcoming the obstacles. Read More And Comment Here » | 
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