Ask yourself, ‘what makes a great leader’? Think about great leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King or JFK and it is clear that leadership is about having a vision.
Your vision for your enterprise (or for yourself personally) is no less valid than: passive resistance for independence from imperial tyranny, revolutionary civil rights, or a manned lunar landing. Leadership is grounded on 5 principles:
- Principle # 1: We are all leaders regardless of position, title or experience. Leadership is a personal choice and those of you who choose to lead, take on a great deal of responsibility. A successful business is an act of creation in two parts: Firstly you create in your mind a vision of what your world will be like when you achieve our vision. Secondly, you do and say the things that turn your vision into reality.
- Principle #2: Declare victory over your desired outcome, then work backward. How are you doing in leading by example? Are your belief systems and behaviors congruent? It is vital to expect more of yourself. Because you get what you expect. People will buy your beliefs when they share them. Others, especially the team around you will notice when you lead. They see you taking responsibility, combining it with accountability and demonstrating full ownership of your business results.
- Principle #3: Serve the team before you serve yourself. Leadership is about describing the desired outcomes of your vision. When you focus on who you are, what you stand for, and why you do what you do, your team buy into it. When you behave according to your values of integrity, involvement, achievement, fairness, and respect, you create a culture that makes your vision inevitable. You declare victory from the start, by deciding the outcome is certain.
Great leaders are great listeners. They are flexible in approach and develop their mission and values with their team. Do not look at the obstacles in your path to achievement and let nothing stop you. Remember that doing the same thing today, as you did yesterday and expecting a different result, is the very definition of insanity. Challenge yourself and your team to find different ways around those obstacles.
When you refocus on your vision you eliminate frustration, with the power of positive thought, words and actions. You can’t do everything yourself. It’s all about your team, with you as their ‘servant leader.’ Survival of the fittest is no longer the ethos of the modern business leader. Traditional management is replaced by leadership and the more you give the more you get.
- Principle #4: Never, ever, ever allow yourself to be a Victim! What words do you use habitually? You can tell a victim mentality when you hear things like; ‘it’s their fault,’ ‘I know this already’ or ‘prove it to me.’ At PBC we won’t tell you what to say, but we will reflect your words to reveal the real messages you put out. We will build your awareness of the importance of positive messages and mindset, to help you avoid crossing the line from leader to victim.
We will ask the hard question; are you serving the team or are you serving yourself? We will encourage you to not look back with regret but to look forward with determination. We will encourage you to create a leadership culture and avoid a blame culture. Blame is for victims, success is for leaders. Remember it is your choice.
- Principle #5: If it ain’t broke…Break it! The status quo in mo
st businesses is mediocrity, it’s being average. Being one of the crowd. As a leader do you recognize good performance, but always ask ‘what’s next?’ Expect great things. Take risks and get messy. It really is the ONLY way to learn and to grow. If you can imagine yourself working for this kind of team, you can create it, it’s your choice.
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