In order to navigate today’s rough waters we must do more than talk about it, we must do! One of the best action leaders I have ever served with was a man named, Russ. He had an ability to take an abstract idea and drive it home to completion unlike anybody I had ever seen. Russ was a retired Naval officer with what seemed to be boundless energy. The momentum he generated in tackling problems, producing ideas, and achieving goals helped build the critical mass our organization needed to move past the prior conceptions of what we thought could be done to the realization of new possibilities. As a young Naval Officer, I felt proud to work alongside him as we dealt with the aftermath of the September 11th 2001 tragedy in Washington, DC and, although stressful and horrific, it was an experience that created immense meaning for me as a leader.

Through Russ’s example, I came to realize that there are two types of people in this world. There are people, like Russ, who “do” things and there are people that “talk about doing things.” On the deck as team members or as a leader at the helm, we know the difference and so do the people we serve. Words without action are just that, words. Empty talk won’t move you past obstacles and certainly won’t build the momentum needed navigate your team anywhere. As leaders, we must step up and step out with thought and action if we want to navigate anywhere.

Step Up in Possibilities

Regardless of the challenges we (or our team) face, there has to be a plan. Simple questions to start thinking about are: What is our goal? What is our strategy? Where am I going and why am I here? An even better question to try and answer is, “What are the possibilities?” We should never get mired down in probabilities. Mediocrity’s seed is rooted in probabilities. Greatness begins with a possibility – the big “what if?” Russ was a master at thinking in possibilities, disposing of the “we’ve always done it this way” attitude, and challenging his team to do the same. He spurred a synergy and collective motivation between us but it would have been lost without him walking the talk with action.

Step Out in Dynamic Confidence

Stepping out in Dynamic Confidence is leader actions set to the tune of “I Believe in Miracles!” It signifies to everyone that you not only talk the talk, you walk the walk. For leaders that step out in dynamic confidence there are no challenges, there are only opportunities – opportunities for learning, growing, sharing, and moving as a team to new heights. For Russ, no valley was too deep and no mountain too high – he modeled the behavior required by stepping out, taking the risk and moving forward. Dynamic confidence sets the pace for team members and builds the collective momentum needed to overcome any obstacle. The hardest step is the first one but taking it moves you one step closer in weathering the storm and, most importantly, it gives you “street ‘cred’ with your peeps.”

Do you want to build enough momentum with your team that it creates the critical mass needed to cut through rough seas? If your answer is “yes,” then it is up to you. You can talk about doing things or actually do them. If we step up in possibilities and harness the momentum created from the action of dynamic confidence there is no limit to where you and your team can go. Russ was a person that lived in possibilities and stepped out in dynamic confidence. It wasn’t that he had all of the answers or that he knew everything, but he created the energy that fed the team – it motivated us to envision and achieve things we didn’t think we were capable of and surpass the expectations others thought were possible. Isn’t that the kind of leader you want to be? Isn’t that the kind of team you want to have? Then STEP UP AND STEP OUT!