By Neil Phillips.

How often have you sponsored someone you knew would be your next leader? The person who appeared to have everything; the person who you were sure would be a great success. Then, to your amazement, their business never got off the ground. The alternative might be even worse:  you invest tons of time into someone, and then they just up and quit one day.

Frustrating, huh? While you can never predict another person’s success 100% of the time, you can increase the odds. The character trait that helps is called discernment. With it, you will increase your odds of being right!

Discernment is the ability to get to the root of the matter. It’s a blend of intuition and rational thought. The leader who always seems to make the right decision relies on ‘their gut.’ But there is more to the story. They also play in the areas of their strengths, and they use what they know.

Here’s the truth… the more you know, the more ‘right’ decisions you will make. You, too, can become a more discerning leader.

  1. Think about when you were right. How well did you know the person or situation? Was this decision an area of your strength?
  2. Who do you know that always seems to make the right decisions? Talk to them about how they think. How do they process? Who do they turn to for counsel? How do they grow their knowledge?
  3. Pay attention to ‘your gut’ and then confirm what you hear with what you know.
  4. Think about a time when you made the wrong decision. What did you ignore? Was it your intuition, the facts, or lack of knowledge or expertise in the area?

Leaders rarely have all the information they need to make a decision. They learn to trust their intuition after confirming what it tells them with what they know. And if you don’t know – ask someone who does! Your discernment will grow if you grow your wisdom.

How do you learn every day?

One way to grow your capacity for discernment is by adopting a learning attitude.

Are you ready to join TCPro? 

At Team Connections Pro, our one job is to support your leadership development.  You’ll find materials like Bring on the Balance. You’ll also find audios, eBooks, and webinars on critical jobs like Cracking the Recruiting Code in a Digital World, Rev Up Recruiting in a Digital World, and Advancing Leaders: A Proven System.  You can dig deeper and find How to Have a $1,000 Facebook Party as well as Direct Sellers Best Kept Secret to Increasing Productivity. 

AND you’ll have two one-to-one coaching calls every month to help you apply those ideas and plan.

TC Pro is your source for direct selling leadership ideas. For $20 a month, you join TC Pro. We’ll refund your payment if it’s not for you.  AND you can leave when you want.  We’re willing to bet you’ll stay.