Are you an Amateur Leader or a Pro?

I recently read a post by Steven Pressfield about turning pro. You can read the entire post here.

That sparked the thought about leaders as pro. I have heard of almost all the fields having amateurs and professionals. I have never heard anyone being referred to as an amateur leader though.

Does this mean that there are no amateur leaders? I don’t think so.

Just because leaders are working professionals they don’t necessarily become professional leaders.

In fact, just like any other field, I see a lot more amateur leaders than I see pro’s.

The question then is – How does a leader turn pro? What is the definition of a pro leader?

Amateur leaders lead from the seat of their pants, pro leaders train to be a leader.

Amateur leaders attend trainings, pro leaders train like professionals. They have deliberate practices to hone specific skills.

Amateur leaders avoid difficult conversations, pro leaders lean into them.

Amateur leaders read and discuss with peers, pro leaders do that AND hire coaches and train with them.

Amateur leaders are happy for their success and rest on their laurels, pro leaders continue to learn forever.

Amateur leaders are effective sometimes, pro leaders obsess about their effectiveness all the time.

Amateur leaders expect others to invest in them, pro leaders invest in themselves.

Amateur leaders are leaders by chance, pro leaders are leaders by choice.

So, are you an amateur leader or a pro leader?

– Mukesh Gupta