52 Leadership Tips To Live By

We all start from somewhere. This, in itself, is not an issue. The problem is that many people do not evolve. Something has worked well in the past and they become a one-trick pony…

Unfortunately, what has worked in the past is more than likely to facilitate the status quo, but it is not going to get you anywhere new or innovative. The key is to work backward from your imagination, rather than forward from your past.

The old adage, “What got you here, will not get you there” is an absolute truth. A significant indicator of exceptional leadership is continual learning and growth beyond current capacity. You can learn from history, however, history is unlikely to take you to a place where you surpass the competition and create an exceptional future.

Look forward – far into the future – and start from what you dare to dream or imagine. Look to a place where human potential is unleashed, where you realize a future beyond what your industry, company, customers, and partners can see. Establish a future based on the difference that you and your organization would passionately like to make happen – a difference that will create a significant consequence in your domain. Once you have conceptualized where you would like to go, create the steps backward from your imagination to make the vision a reality – create a game-plan.

It is critical to realize that an exceptional future does not happen as a result of an enthusiastic dream equating to more talk than action. It comes about as a result of your passion and willingness to take a stand for a new and innovative future, as well as you having the courage to set talented people in motion to make radical innovation happen.

Never forget that whatever you can imagine, you can accomplish.

Where will you finish?

Whatever you choose to do or not do will determine how much you can grow or achieve. If you want to achieve great results, you need to take the equivalent actions to achieve those results. Chances are, your biggest limiting factor is YOU! To get out of the proverbial box, you need to be willing to think in ways you have never thought before.

Here are a few key principles to help you overcome your perceived limitations:

1. Understand and leverage your potential. Be open to personal transformation. Until you, as a leader, are prepared to analytically assess your strengths and weaknesses, you will not be able to scale to transform the organization (or your domain). The bottom-line is constant – in order to transform an organization (or your domain), you must first be willing to transform yourself.
2. Work backward from your imagination, rather than forward from your past. It is critical to understand that a limitless future does not happen as a result of continued education and an enthusiastic dream. It comes as a result of your ability to see what will make a difference, take a stand for that opportunity and have the courage to set talented people in motion to make radical innovation happen.
3. Remember that whatever you can imagine, you can accomplish. Ask yourself some revealing questions. Knowing your customers, and understanding the need for continuous change: 1) What is an enormous strategic opportunity? 2) What would change your business (and their business) forever? 3) What is missing that, if provided, would truly make a difference?

In addition, what is missing in your industry that would truly revolutionize the products/services/processes/etc.(Think Apple, Microsoft, Facebook…)? What will take your company/domain from status quo to breakthrough?What are you so passionate about that you would be willing to transform not only your company, but yourself?

Above all, know that achieving a limitless future goes beyond stretch goals and general improvement programs. Removing your own boundaries is not just about self-satisfaction and self-empowerment – it is about inspiring and empowering others to also be everything they can be – it is all about unleashing human potential.

How are you limiting yourself and others?

Persistence is a key component to your success when seeking to overcome challenges. You will find bumps, potholes and detours on the road toward your destination. In the face of these obstacles, many people give up. The business world is overflowing with people who give up at the first sign of opposition. Don’t be that person - to achieve powerful results, you will need to be persistent. Much of what it takes to succeed has as much to do with mental attitude as it does mental aptitude.

People often give up on their dreams and settle for much less than they could have actually achieved…. often just before reaching their desired destination. Truly meaningful goals or endeavors are rarely easy to achieve - there will almost always be chasms to cross. If you persevere through the seeming abyss, you will find that the pain and discomfort was well worth the effort when you get to the other side.

You have to be committed to success to move past challenges and persistently press forward. Never lose sight of where you want to go and never stop persevering. If you are committed, persistent and open to the variety of possibilities and paths that will take you to your desired destination, one day you will wake up and realize that you have reached that ultimate goal.

Why? Because you kept on going…

What goal do you need to be persistent in pursuing?

Excellence as a habit manifests itself as excellence in everything you do. However, only through actually doing things in conjunction with a deep, internal motivation does excellence become a habit.

Excellence is achieved by doing things well and doing them repeatedly. Therefore, it is important to remember that to achieve excellence you must form the habit of doing the things excellence requires.

Here are a few habits required of you to achieve excellence:

CHARACTER – Excellence means being exceptional and holding yourself to exceptionally higher standards. Excellence begins with committing to doing things the way they should be done. You demonstrate your character by making the right moral and ethical decisions on a consistent basis.

OWNERSHIP – Excellence requires that you have a sense of ownership. You need to set the example and “own” problems, ensuring that they are addressed and resolved. You are responsible for driving accountability and doing what needs to be done… the way it needs to be done, every time.

FOCUS – Excellence necessitates that you keep your focus on those you are privileged to serve. You must be open to addressing any questions or concerns they may have with open, honest communication, as well as being prepared to try and anticipate what people may need in advance.

PERSONAL COMMITMENT – Excellence is not something that happens by itself. You must be willing to make a personal commitment. This may mean inconvenience, long hours, or a significant personal investment - but above all else you cannot flinch in the face of adversity or challenge. Excellence is born from commitment and repetition… When you make a personal commitment to making excellence a habit, then and only then, does excellence become reality.

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT – Achieving excellence is one thing…maintaining it is another. Only by committing to continuous improvement will you be able to maintain the excellence you seek. Success requires a relentless drive for excellence. The marketplace demands it and the people who trust you deserve it. As a result, you can never allow “good” to be “good enough.”

Will you make excellence a habit?

New products. New services. New clients. New experiences. New staff. New culture. New org. chart. New reporting structure…

Everything should begin with the end in mind - especially any goal or vision you want to fulfill. If you don’t know what you are trying to achieve, then you don’t really know what you are working for, do you?

On the other hand, If you’re sure about what you want to accomplish, you’ll be able to plan it efficiently, better communicate it to the people involved, accurately measure success upon completion and, above all, you’ll have the mental picture in place to motivate you (and others) to succeed.

Making sure you have a clear picture of where you are going in the long-term will prevent the likelihood of you bowing out in the short term. Starting with the end in mind, you will avoid your decisions being subject to popular opinion, organizational politics and everything else that is perceived as urgent (but perhaps not so important). Instead, you will have the where-with-all to pursue your ultimate goals. Because you know where you are going, and why you are going there, you will have the fortitude to keep the end in mind when making important decisions.

Always begin with a clear vision of your desired destination and leverage this knowledge to make things happen.

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