A lighthouse can be seen from miles around.

It has a concentrated light source that aims at the horizon. Boats can see it for miles. And it can be seen from multiple directions.

There is a noticeable contrast in the sky when it is burning. You can see the intense light source glinting in the distance. It is not complicated.

Just a bright light against a dark background.

That’s all it takes to stand out.

But many of us act like the boats in the harbor. We chase the horizon. We think “Just look at all of that gorgeous horizon out there!”

But that’s the problem.

We should not be chasing the horizon. We should not be swashbuckling across the waters to obtain our next treasure.

We should be the lighthouse.

As a leader, we should be the light. Drawing in those people on the water. Steering them to our safe port.

And that means two things:

• A clear light
• That is always visible

How do we do that in our business?

Clear Light

Know what you solve. A good leader communicates the same clear message to their team, to their customers, and to their partners.

We help _______ fix ________ so that they can ___________.

That is your light.

Say it daily. Remind people weekly. Shout it monthly.

As I heard @donald miller say once:

“Leaders are repeaters”

Always Visible

The men that ran lighthouses for a career showed up every day. There was no PTO (paid time off), or sick days. If the guy didn’t show up, then the light didn’t go on. So that NEVER happened.

They planned for the worst.

Today that means we create systems that work without us. There needs to be a plan in place to deliver our message if we show up or not.

If you took a week off work, would your team continue to perform without you? Would the light go on every day?

That’s not a simple task.

You have to plan for consistency. So here are 3 questions to get you started down that path. (Or back on track)

1. What SPECIFIC problem do I solve for my client?
2. Where does that message need to go?
3. What process is in place to deliver the value without me?

The answers to these three questions create the foundation you need to get momentum and get unstuck.

Are you acting like a lighthouse or boat?

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Ready to act more like a lighthouse? Need to make repairs to an old lighthouse? I offer one-time consultations or ongoing support. Make an appointment with me to discuss how I can help. HERE