The Great Leadership Test...

Good Morning!

How did your week go? 

Did you have time to plan before you started?

Did you stop (midweek) to assess your progress?

Did you adjust...or were you plans on track?

Did you achieve what you set out to do?

This is the most simple set of behaviors that I have found...that will lead you to success...it is what makes and keeps you a leader...if it is a habit...in your life...

The new year has started...and your annual plan should be pretty firm by now...That is so cool!

Now...all that is required is for you to simply decompose the issues and recompose them into the appropriate solutions!

"SIMPLY?" you ask...

Yes simply...

We have a tendency and actually believe that our world is complex...it is not! 

Seek the simplicity in everything that you do...that is where the truth is found...

Illusion that blocks us from success is created when we heap complexity upon our world...

...and we do that just so that we feel important...it is arrogance pure and simple...unwarranted arrogance!

Do not let the arrogance of..."what I do is complex" get you to believe that you had much to do with what you are doing...

Most of it was being in the right place at the right time!

Leadership is a matter of chance...

There are many more people more capable than you!

Unless you are a VERY unique person there are many people who can do what you do...many...can do it consistently better...and are willing to do what they do...for less than what you are making!

If the Recruiting division of the organization, that you work for, really did its job...they would have found someone better than you...

That is a sobering thought...isn't it!

The message is not meant to be demeaning...but should spark some appreciation for what you have...because someone is much more deserving than you...you just happened to be there...

...chance...

Be thankful for what you have...and have that thankfulness show in your efforts...

Speaking of action...

The role of Leadership is not a end....a "once and for all" proposition...

Many people get into the leadership role and then relax...they treat it like retirement...

Leadership is a commitment and one's holding of that role should be tested...if one is really worthy...it must constantly be proven...

The ancient Romans had a great grasp of this concept...they actually called it the leadership test...

When an individual rose to leadership...which was in and of itself a struggle...they were constantly challenged by "up and comer's!"

They were challenged by those that they lead!

One...yes ONE...slip up and they fell from their position...most of the time...that fall meant that they never got back up! (because they were dead!) NOW THAT IS A STANDARD OF PERFORMANCE...

I know that you may think that sounds VERY uncivilized...at first I did too!  We should be much more forgiving and tolerant of weaknesses...

It is that tolerance that has lead this society to mediocrity...

If a leader is not challenged and allowed sub-standard performance...the entire group follows suit...and performs "sub-standard!"

I set the "leadership test" as my standard of performance long ago...and strive to meet that challenge...and demand that of those who lead me...

It has been said that a smart leader gathers people better than themselves...around them...

If they (the followers) are better than the leader...then those individuals should be leading...not following...

That is just common sense...

The bottom line is that you should not be leading something that you are not GREAT at and are not constantly growing with...

If you try...the "Roman leadership test" will ultimately hold true...you'll fall and will be unable to stand back up...

Then you must count yourself lucky if you have simply been spared death!

Enough Said on this FIERCE topic!  FOR NOW!

This past week I had an interesting discussion with a fellow that is "caught up in quotes..."

He is nearly "obsessive compulsive" about quoting people...as if that makes him appear smarter or more wise...he does it under the guise of wanting to help people...

You know how I stand on quotes...

The wisdom of the path needs to be known...and shared...but one must realize that those things...only got us to today!  Expecting to move into tomorrow...with just today's wisdom means that you are carrying old baggage that will only take today into tomorrow...

STOP QUOTING and say something original...otherwise SHUT-UP!

But beyond that...quoting has another problem that goes deeper than the facade of wisdom and intelligence...

It is true that "what's on the inside is shown by what comes to the outside..."

Most "quote rs" stop short of the real meaning of that sentence...

A good heart does have good words and bits of advice...but do not stop there...

A good heart and good intentions...provide good words and bits of advice and have actions with TOTAL integrity that match them...

GREAT leaders think...say...and...DO what they do with absolute consistency...that is what INTEGRITY is all about...

If the word integrity is in your mission...you MUST do that...if you are incapable...then take that word out...because you are not living up to your mission...

Interesting...HUH?

So far we have said that a leader has to be more than capable...they must earn the leadership rank...

They should constantly be challenged by the outside and by themselves...if not...the wise leader steps down...if they are too foolish or selfish to step aside...they should be knocked down...an ethical and moral organization should recognize that and take the appropriate actions...their customers deserve that

AND...a great leader should think, talk and act with absolute integrity...

As I think about that...Integrity is KEY to good leadership...if a leader does not have integrity...how can they be trusted?  If a leader can not be trusted...should they lead?

Ulterior motives is a sign of poor leadership...and if pushed...they many times are illegal!

You know where that leads...

But let's go back to the customer comment that I just made a few sentences back...

Who are a leader's customers?

Many will argue that they are the people that buy the organization's products or services...

NOT!

The leader's customers are those people who are within the leader's direct "sphere of influence."

No more and no less...

Leadership has confused this important aspect...

How are your leaders treating you?

How are you treating those who you can influence?

Is the treatment sending a message that each is the most important customer or is the message focused on the product or service at the cost of the "reports?"

It is sad...and that is a characteristic that often hurts the most important people...

A leader by the very meaning of the term is the first into battle...if the leader is incompetent...they are also the first casualty of the battle...and deserved so...

Not many Roman conquests were fought with the leader standing passively back behind the lines because they were the leader...

They sharpened their sword and stood victorious at the end because of their skill and abilities...

Otherwise a new leader took their place...

The "wimps" that stood behind their soldiers and shouted orders from an intentionally lagging chariot soon had the army turn on them...and that was because the army knew what it was to act with integrity...

OK...I have rambled enough on Romans...

I really want to stress the importance of action and leadership...

Don't fill your world with old phrases and quotes...

The Internet is full of them...

I have heard them before...

Rather than talking...get out there in front of the world and do something epic...

Create that legend...

A legendary act is much more meaningful than a legendary bunch of words...

It makes a difference...

ENOUGH SAID!

Have a great weekend!

Firm those plans up and make them happen!