10 Leadership Lessons
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For most of my life I was told that I was a “natural” leader. I never quite understood what that meant.
Was I a leader because I was the best player on my team, or because I was the captain?
Was I a leader because I had the loudest voice in the room?
Was I a leader because I was eager to please, so I willingly volunteered when asked?
As I grew into adulthood my definition of a leader began to take shape. It was the person who was out in front of the group. Someone who was willing to take charge in a crisis, or takeover when no one else was willing.
This led to some great opportunities and experiences in leading others, but it also led to some unhealthy emotions for me as a person. I was developing a temper and was developing a habit of avoiding the most important areas of my life, specifically my family.
Leaders must experience personal change before they can implement public change.
WHAT MAKES A GREAT LEADER?
I finally started to take leadership seriously about 10 years ago and decided to learn more about what makes a good leader. Leadership and specifically applying leadership skills has become a passion for me.
I can trace this passion back to when I was moving from being a young athlete who participated in sports teams to an older adult who coached sports teams. I wanted to understand my emotions of anger and avoidance and I wanted to learn how to pass on leadership skills and to help others to develop them.
TOP 10 LEADERSHIP LESSONS
Over the past decade I have developed a Top 10 list of Leadership Lessons that I now use to coach leaders to get the most out of themselves, their teams, and their business.
- Leaders must experience personal change before they can implement public change.
- Leaders integrate family values with their business success.
- Happiness leads to success.
- Leaders lead by example and invitation not by coercion and control.
- Leaders ultimately help others become the person they were created to be.
- Leaders define boundaries by developing a clear vision.
- Leaders inspire effective action toward desired goals.
- Leaders are guided by data.
- Leaders build trust to ensure those around them are invested in their cause.
- Leaders establish a culture of accountability.
A LEADER'S JOURNEY
A leader’s journey begins with their own personal change and therefore they must lead themselves at least 50% of the time before they can effectively lead others and then lead their teams or organizations.
By integrating their personal values with their professional success, effective leaders are completely present and give 100% to the activities they are performing.
Leaders of today do not rely on their authority to get things done. They recognize other’s strengths and cultivate these strengths to release future leaders to prosper and grow.
To keep up with the rapid change and development of business, leaders take ownership of what is allowed, and what is not allowed, to achieve the results, and they surround themselves with partners and tools to stay on course.