Taking responsibility

- As a leader, I had a situation where I made a wrong decision that cost my team loss of time, money, and it shook their morale. That situation taught me, with responsibility comes taking the good with the bad, and doing so with grace and optimism. I learned early on that, yes, being a leader is empowering. It's also a huge responsibility because no matter what happens, even if you're not directly responsible, the responsibility is yours. I want to give you three mantras I use as a confident woman in leading with confidence, no matter the situation. First, I want to inspire you with this statement. Don't be discouraged. You belong. Yes, I understand, failing is never fun, but it's also not fatal. So give yourself a break when things aren't working out the way you planned. Instead, be encouraged because you made the choice to take action, and no matter if the results were good or bad, not being discouraged will get you over the hump so you can continue to grow and move forward, no matter what. Why? Because you belong. Next, and this may sound simple, but I know we forget it sometimes. You, yes, you are not perfect. No one is. So say it with me. I am not perfect. Leadership, no matter gender, is a journey. A journey filled with twists and turns at every corner. But as long as you continue navigating, you'll learn how to maneuver through good and bad situations. Finally, and I need you to repeat this daily. "I am not my mistakes. I exude the confidence and vitality to take on challenges. And I will use my failures as a lesson in how to take action in future situations." Remember, you are not perfect so don't shrink because of your mistakes. Instead, take action with confidence, style, and grace. Look, in leadership, responsibility comes with the territory. For people to trust your direction and actions, you must be vulnerable and accept responsibility, no matter good or bad.