Leadership is earned, not given and as such you need to justify your privilege to lead others. Your title alone is not enough to make you a leader. Your position as a CEO, CIO, CFO, CMO, President, Vice President…gives you an opportunity to make decisions, not necessarily lead people forward. To lead others you must win their hearts and minds, …
Control and own your life
Life! You only have one and it is yours to live, so please take ownership and control of it. The overwhelming majority of your life is (or should be) within your control and as such let’s drop excuses, finger-pointing and blame. Be cognizant, mindful and aware of the feelings and needs of your family, friends, coworkers and others, but ultimately, …
Leaders empower people, they don’t micromanage
Micromanagement demonstrates lack of trust in the abilities of your staff and that is never the right thing to do. Enable and empower people to make decisions, take actions and move forward without the need to constantly come to you for every single detail. Obviously, levels of empowerment and decision making abilities will vary based on experience and your familiarity …
Honest communication
Demonstrate clear appreciation and respect for your community, staff, clients and partners by communicating honestly. While at times you may not be able to disclose everything known to you you should still be honest when it comes to the direction, planning and strategy that you intend to take. Don’t lie to people and don’t go out of your way to …
Successful future depends on today’s actions
Being envious, jealous and even hateful of others’ success is quite easy and common yet it is completely pointless and quite limiting. Instead of focusing on their own plans and goals, quite a few people seem to be content looking at others through a murky lens of envy. Being passive and accepting your current state while others thrive, advance and …
Who keeps you levelheaded and balanced?
Who is your trusted friend or a family member who is absolutely allowed to call you out on your BS and tell it like it is? Who is that person who has your best interests at heart and helps you evaluate and focus your decisions, ideas and opportunities? Whoever they may be, they are of great value and importance to …
Speak and act with confidence
We have all witnessed someone who exudes confidence and captivates the room the moment they walk in. Some of the qualities that help them are part of who they are, their DNA in a sense and can’t be learned. However, many other things that go a long way towards your overall confidence and credibility can be learned and they barely …
Meetings don’t have to suck
Meetings don’t have to suck…well, most of them do actually, but with a bit of structure and clear objectives they could be less of a nuisance. Some of the important things to consider are: Share the agenda at least 24 hours in advance (it allows for participants to arrive prepared and ready to contribute) Keep the meetings focused on the …
New? Listen, absorb and learn, then act
Started a new job? First order of business is to listen, absorb and learn the culture, environment and players within. Depending on your placement within the organization the impact of your decisions and actions will vary and as such it is essential to educate yourself with the current state of affairs. Your experience is essential, but don’t assume that every …