You’ve probably been asked the question more than once, “What keeps you up at night?” The intention is to uncover the issues you’re grappling with in your company and to reveal the real pain points.

But have you been asked “What gets you up in the morning?”

It’s easy to talk about all the things that are frustrating, however, can you articulate what gets you excited, what makes all of the work worthwhile… the big WHY?

As I discussed in last month’s blog, the #1 quality in a genuine leader is the ability to energize and inspire others. If you can’t easily answer what gets you up in the morning, how can you lead your team through challenges and push the company forward?

For leaders, I have found that it starts with this foundation:

“We have ‘A’ Players on our leadership team.”
“Our employees are engaged.”
“We have a clear strategy.”
“We hold each other accountable.”
“We measure everything.”
“We’re making a difference for our customers.”

So, I ask you: How enthusiastic are you to get to work in the morning? If the answer doesn’t come quickly and easily, maybe it’s time for a refresh.

I also invite you to use this exercise with your leadership team — the answers (or lack of answers) you receive could prove eye-opening, potentially surfacing issues holding the team as a whole back.

For me, it’s easy… I get up every morning thrilled to work with smart, motivated business leaders who are willing to put in the hard work … to make a positive impact on their companies and the many lives they touch. That and a good morning workout get me energized for my day!