Our world would have stayed the same as it was when it was first formed if there weren’t for risk takers. Man wouldn’t have discovered the usefulness of fire, if all our ancestors ran away from fire or were afraid. Our lives may not have been easier and full of technological gadgets if no one had dared to test the limits of our minds and the things around us. Let’s face it; the world is a better place partly because our leaders dared to take the risk.
Below are three reasons why leaders need to be risk takers
Innovation
A good leader is someone who isn’t afraid to venture the unknown. In the real world, no matter how much time you have devoted in planning an activity or an event, there will always be glitches and problems. Thus, a leader should always be ready to innovate and accept new ideas. He or she must be willing to take calculated risks to ensure the fruition of the group’s objectives and to ascertain the common good. There wouldn’t be steam engines, Bank of America, or magnetic resonance imaging if the people behind these great successes were averse to risks.
Knowledge
Since the beginning of time, man has learned to conquer his surroundings through trial and error. Scientifically speaking, the human race was able to exceed other species in terms of the acquisition of knowledge because of our curiosity and our insatiable quest to discover new things. However, people won’t be able to gain knowledge if nobody dared to take risks. Therefore, if there were no bold leaders who took it upon themselves to take the risk, man wouldn’t have been able to amass the wealth of knowledge that all of us are enjoying now.
Change
The only permanent thing is change. A leader who accepts this concept is someone who knows how to take risks and step outside of his or her comfort zone. Many companies, businesses and even empires have fallen or gone bankrupt because their leaders became comfortable with the status quo.
In contrast, companies and even countries that have been led by people who didn’t cringe when asked to take the risk have adapted to the changing times and have continually maintained their top position.
In order to become an extraordinary leader and leave your mark on your organization or group, you shouldn’t be afraid to take calculated risks. Don’t just simply jump into the unknown. You still have to use your mind to evaluate your options and assess your situation before taking risks.