Your firm and your clients are looking to you for leadership and they are frustrated because you aren’t providing it. They see you as someone who can contribute more and you’re not.  Your experience, judgment and wisdom are not being applied to their problems and issues. Instead, you seem too happy to do what you’ve always done. You see yourself as a professional practicing your discipline; others see you as a leader who isn’t contributing.

If you really want to move to the next level of leadership, watch the effective and successful leaders around you. You will see three things they do better than you, and if you practiced them, you would be better yourself. They are simple, but not easy.

They know and play to their strengths. You are so much better when you live in the domain where you can achieve excellence. Find your preferred situations and roles and live in them as much as possible.

They know how to moderate their strengths. What you do well is a double-edged sword. Know when to employ different skills rather than rely on your strengths alone. If you are naturally expressive, sometimes it’s better to reserve comment. If you gift is to listen, sometimes it’s better to speak up.

They expand their repertoire of behavior and actions. Learn from those who are unlike you. Watch how they are successful in their strengths and when they cross the line and malfunction. Your task is to meld what you see into your style. You’ll expand both your comfort zone and your effectiveness zone.

You are where you are because you’re good at what you do. However, if you do nothing differently, you will remain where you are and wonder why others pass you by. This week, do something to increase your leadership capability and enjoy your higher professional status.