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Change The Way You Think
Tag: Leadership Skills
Leadership Minute: Lead Yourself
You can have no dominion greater or less than that over yourself – Leonardo da Vinci
It’s the first rule of leadership that yields to no one. If you wish to lead others you first must lead yourself. After all, the hardest person you will ever lead is not the jerk down the hall that drives you nuts it’s most likely the one in the mirror. Pay attention to the people that get on your nerves. What irritates you the most about them could be your struggle as well. You see, it’s easy and convenient for us to point out the flaws and weaknesses in others but overlook that same weakness in ourselves- or worse yet, justify them. An authentic leader will develop his or her disciplines, be held to a higher standard, be held accountable, and lead by example. Before leading others, lead yourself.
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Leadership Minute: Hang in There
Perseverance, secret of all triumphs. – Victor Hugo
Perseverance is not one of the more glamorous leadership traits. In fact; it can be downright brutal. As leaders we are taught to take Frost’ advice and journey down the road less traveled. But what happens when the road less traveled is traveled less and less by those who are supposed to be leading the way? While perseverance may not be pretty it is a necessity. We need leaders today who have a stick-with-it attitude. We need leaders who are not afraid to put it all on the line and stay the course. The power of perseverance will see you through the good times and bad, but in the end you will be rewarded with a level of success others only dream about. Today you might be tempted to throw in the towel and give up. Don’t. Your leadership can go to a new level but only as you persevere.
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Leadership Minute: Your Task at Hand
Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks. – Phillips Brooks
What is your BHAD (Big Hairy Audacious Dream)? You see I am convinced that many a leader settles for that which they know they can achieve. And while that may be good and noble it’s not big. It’s not audacious. It’s not far-reaching enough and does not necessitate much prayer. I’d like to challenge you today to have such a BHAD that is scares you to pray like you have never prayed before. Reverse your prayers for strength to do what you can do and pray for strength and wisdom to do what you know you can’t do by yourself and without divine intervention. Increase the size of your dream. Dare to pray big prayers and dare to do great things.
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Leadership Minute: Are You Contributing?
Life is not about accumulation, it is about contribution – Stephen Covey
Great leaders understand this. Many leaders starting out make the mistake of thinking that the end game is about what you accumulate; wealth, power, position, etc. But your significance as a leader is not defined by those characteristics. How are you contributing? This is the essential and greater question of your leadership. It’s not about what you are gathering but rather in what you are giving. And once you settle the issue of how you can contribute and add value to those around you then the other less important things will take care of themselves. Focus on ways in which you can be more generous and add value to others. After all, you are not going to take anything with you. It’s what you leave behind that matters most.
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Leadership Minute: Show Respect
Respect for ourselves guides our morals; respect for others guides our manners. – Laurence Sterne
One of the most noble leadership skills you can have and develop is that of respect. Respect for yourself establishes your guiding principles and sets the course for your leadership style. On that count, respect is very important. Once established internally you then begin to lead externally from those values. A great leader is a respectful leader. Clearly you will not like everyone, nor will you always approve of other people’s actions, but respect for them sets the framework for how you deal with them. Respect establishes your credibility as a leader and is the origin of your manners. Your leadership style will make you or break you. When respect is your guiding light you can’t go wrong.
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Leadership Minute: Prepare by Learning
Prepare for the unknown by studying how others in the past coped with the unforeseeable and the unpredictable. – General George S. Patton
As a leader you will frequently walk in the unknown and unforeseeable. While it may be scary at times you can navigate those periods with the skill and wisdom you have gathered in times of preparation. Many a great leader before you have been tested with things they didn’t anticipate. How they handled times of adversity can be sources of inspiration for you. What challenges are you facing today? As you learn from their examples you can apply those lessons to your current situation. Preparation is the key to your success. Walk with confidence knowing that the lessons you have learned have equipped you for the challenges before you.
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Leadership Minute: Listen Up
When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen. – Ernest Hemmingway
Listening is one of those ever-developing leadership skills. In our high tech world the art of undistracted listening is a waning skill. Listening is one of the highest compliments you can pay to another person. This means putting away your cell phone or tablet and actually making eye contact while acknowledging the other person. To the same degree we expect people to listen when we speak we should extend the same courtesy to others. People will feel respected when they are respected. Give the other person your undivided attention and hear what they have to say. You will be seen as a leader who cares and you will build your credibility as one who is engaged. Tune out distractions so that you can tune in to what’s really important. Listen up!
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Leadership Minute: Get Along
The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people. – Theodore Roosevelt
Knowing how to get along with people is essential in leadership. Building relationships based on trust and respect is necessary if you want to get things done. While it may a stretch to like everyone or for everyone to like you it is a game-changer if don’t know how to get along with others. You develop your leadership skills when you develop your relationship skills. At times you will have to separate the personal from the professional in order to move forward. And the person you think is not your friend now in the long run may be the one to surprise you down the road. The point here is simple: you can get more done and will be more productive when you learn to build bridges to other people instead of burning them. Get along to get ahead.
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Leadership Minute: Trust Your Inner Voice
Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. – Steve Jobs
As a leader you will get plenty of opinions from others. Some you will ask for but most will be unsolicited. It goes with the territory. Well- meaning people will tell you what you should have done or what you should do but ultimately you have to listen to your own inner voice. It’s God’s way of speaking to you. There comes a time when you have to take that step of faith and trust your instincts. Eventually, you have to learn how to trust that voice and when necessary stand in defiance of other people’s opinions. Your growth as a leader comes when you learn how to tune out counterproductive opinions, embrace the good ones, and only entertain positive thoughts. Be confident in your abilities, trust your intuition, and listen to that inner voice.
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