What is a Leader (Part 3 of 10)

Leadership is something that comes to us, not as something that we earn, but as something that we’re given. Regardless of our titles at work, we are not leaders unless others are willing to follow us (if nobody follows than we are not leading anyone). One thing that I’ve found seems to rally people behind a leader is creativity. The ability to find solutions to complex problems, innovate, create new processes, etc., are hallmarks of someone who is followed. Anybody can read the instruction manual about “how things have always been done”. It takes a creative mind to implement strategic change or move an organization to a new place. That creativity is often rewarded.

Honesty
Consideration for Others
Creativity

What is a Leader (Part 2 of 10)

No matter the situation or skills, a leader must always consider those he/she is leading and those in his/her sphere of influence. An aloof leader is not a leader at all. We must be aware of our attitudes and of those around us. We must take note, frequently, of not only those who are directly affected by our decisions, but of those who are indirectly affected by those decisions. We must have consideration for others that supersedes our considerations regarding our selves. No leader ever earned respect or followers by ignoring the needs of those in their sphere of influence or by thinking only of themself. Placing other’s needs before our own and doing what is best for the group before we do what is best for ourselves is evidence of a true leadership spirit.

Honesty
Consideration for Others

What is a Leader? (1 of 10)

A leader is only as good as his word. A leader must be an example of integrity in all things and the importance of keeping one’s word cannot be overstated. We do not do business with people who lie to us and we assume that anyone who lies at all is capable of lying to us. The same goes for everyone else. If I’m caught in a lie, even a small one, I have lost the trust of those around me and will likely never earn their business again. Likewise, if I see someone lie to his wife, coworker, or mechanic, I’m not going to do business with that person. It’s just not worth the risk of being lied to myself.

Be honest. Even when owning your faults and mistakes. Honesty is the single most important attribute of a leader and a successful business person.

Honesty

The Necessity of Integrity

Topics of this sort were less common a decade ago. They were even less common a decade before that. The increased emphasis on ethics, integrity, and character are a direct result of a recent trend in business. Namely, a selfish focus on individual success. The “company man” is a dying breed. Now, I’ll be the first to admit, I’m no company’s man. But I’m not out to gain what I can at the cost of those around me. Employers are looking for teams that look out for one another and for the company. In an age when the largest companies are defending their questionable decisions in front of congress, the world is thirsty for integrity. The solution to the problem is a simple one. Young professionals need to lead the way. It’s our generation that will soon be taking up the roles held, for the last 40 years, by baby-boomers. We’ll be taking the baton from previous generations. If we are to succeed where they failed, we are going to have to re-earn the trust of the public and of our employers. The sooner we can earn that trust the sooner we’ll be given the responsibility that comes with promotion. And, most importantly, we won’t have to look over our shoulders. If we hold to principles of character and honesty, we can rest assured that we won’t end up in courtrooms or, worse yet, congress.

Move Fast

“The early bird gets the worm.”

I think we’ve all heard that before. Never before has this been so true as in today’s job market. If you want to be successful, you have to be the first get “it” done and you have to do it well. Years ago I learned how to invest in real estate. I now have a few rental properties, but through that process I lost some great deals because I took too much time to hash, rehash, and then rethink, and think about, my option. Sometimes it’s just better to dive in head first and decide that, regardless of the outcome, you’ll make “it” work. Don’t wast a moment. If you’re not productively acoomplishing tasks then you should be productively resting. To sit on the couch and worry, or stress, about something is of no use to successful people. If you’re on the couch, relax. If you’re not relaxing, then do something. If you have a family, be intentional about your time with them. When I enter an elevator, the first thing I do is hit the “close door” button. I’ll have plenty of time to select my floor while the door is closing, but if I select the floor first, I must still wait for the door to close slowly. I work in a 20-story building, so I’m on an elevator multiple times a day. By practicing this small habit of efficiency, I’ve added at least 10 minutes of office (or home) time to my week. Minutes that I would have spent standing in an elevator.

Let’s be a more efficient, decisive, group of professionals. Making wise, calculated decisions, but making them before they lose their value.

Be Daring

There is no true value in anything that comes to us without work. Work is the investing of yourself in the hopes of a return. This is a form of risk. Poverty is real and not everyone has the same opportunities in life. But for those of us who have been blessed with education, friends, family, a roof over our heads, and a little money in the bank, we have no real excuse for not making the most of our situation. There’s a story in the Bible about three men who are entrusted with money for a period of time. When they are called to account for what they did with the money during that time, two of them had invested it (taking the risk of losing it) and the other had held on to it (fearing that he may lose it). The two who invested the money were promoted and the third was “fired”. We must be willing to take risks, challenge convention, and step out on a limb. Winning the lottery is not a realistic option. None of the most successful people in the world have ever won a Mega-Millions jackpot. Let’s work hard. Let’s be a generation of people who are known for our ethics and our courageous business accumen. These are the things that will solidify our significance in our culture.

Think Positively

This is the first of my own pillars of success. I don’t buy in to a lot of self-help stuff, but I do believe that, like when driving a car, life will take you wherever your eyes are focused. I believe in acknowledging that which needs to be fixed and fixing it. There should be no talk of problems unless there is talk of solutions in the same breath. We are people of action, not complaining. We accept responsibility for our difficulties because we are strong and regarless of how we ended up in a rut, we are capable of pulling ourselves out. Sometimes, perhaps even most of the time, we must use our strength in tandem with the strengths of others to accomplish our goals. I have surrounded myself with good people who think positively and are going the same direction I am.

Old sayings often contain wisdom. “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.”

Never Regret

Regrets are real and difficult to look beyond. It’s painful to view the past with 20/20 vision and accept some of the foolish choices we’ve made. If we’re honest with ourselves, we would all like to take back at least one sentence or action from our past. Regret is normal. Accepting this can be freeing. When I realized that I wasn’t the stupidest man on earth for some of the things I’ve done, I was able to stop dwelling on those things. When we accept that we’re human, prone to screwing up, and no more foolish than the next person, we can get over the fact that we messed up. The first step to getting over your past is getting over yourself. Let me share a little secret with you. I’m not perfect. And, I hate to break it to you,..neither are you. So stop expecting perfection from yourself and from the people that surround you. I cannot tell you how much happier I am now that I’ve allowed myself the freedom to fail.

In the end, the past cannot be changed and dwelling on it is an ineffective use of our time.