| Leadership! What does this word mean to you? | | | | different variables that are possible on the field. |
| For most, the word leadership is reserved for the | | | | The same is true about your plans for your |
| elite, the few special people with extraordinary | | | | business. When you are planning, allow your game |
| skills and gifs. Leadership is not a gift or a position; | | | | plan to be flexible so your organization can handle |
| it’s a state of mind. Always remember, the | | | | the unknown things that will come your way. |
| disposition of a leader is different from that of a | | | | Understand there are some things you will not |
| follower. | | | | know until you are playing the game. |
| The first thing that must be understood is that | | | | The discipline of communication is a necessity. All |
| leadership is a choice. Leadership starts in the | | | | good leaders are good communicators. You must |
| mind. It’s your thought patterns that separate | | | | be able to tell your followers where you are |
| you from those that follow. Being a leader is | | | | leading them. Allow yourself to be open, honest |
| about you as an individual, not the position you | | | | and candid about the opportunities, obstacles and |
| hold as CEO, pastor or supervisor. No matter | | | | rewards that awaits your company. A leader |
| what position you hold within an organization, you | | | | must constantly work to improve all facets of |
| are able to be a leader if you think like a leader. | | | | communication, including tone, verbiage, body |
| Leadership starts with a revelation concerning | | | | language and writing. There are many things you |
| who you are as a person. Understanding who you | | | | can do to enhance your communication skills. You |
| are is crucial to your role as a leader. | | | | can enroll in seminars or writing classes, or read |
| Every effective leader has a vision. A vision is a | | | | books on how to become a dynamic |
| goal to reach for. It’s an image that must be | | | | communicator. Remember, as the leader of your |
| manifested. As a leader, your followers are | | | | organization, you are the message of your |
| looking to you for direction and guidance. To lead | | | | company. Your walk, your talk and your level of |
| a group of people effectively, you must have a | | | | writing ability will communicate to the world the |
| destination in mind. You have to have a picture of | | | | caliber of your company. |
| the future you are working on bringing to life. This | | | | Encouragement deals with you motivating the |
| will take imagination, creativity, insight and intuition. | | | | people you lead to pursue your vision along with |
| Having a compelling vision for your organization is | | | | you. As a leader, you have to learn how to equip |
| a major key to your leadership. The future must | | | | your staff for the roles they will play within the |
| be so bright that your people will buy into it. It is | | | | organization. This is done through training and |
| only when your followers have bought into your | | | | delegation. Your staff must be taught how to |
| vision that they will invest their time, energy and | | | | succeed within their positions. Then you must |
| creativity into making it a reality. | | | | empower them to use the information they have |
| This moves us to the skills of the leader. Your | | | | received by delegating to them the responsible to |
| leadership will not be effective if you are basing | | | | doing the job correctly and the authority to get |
| your role as a leader on a set of gifts (being | | | | the job done. Responsible and authority must be |
| charismatic, smooth talker, etc). Leadership is | | | | given simultaneously and the authority must |
| about competency and skill. All skills can be | | | | match the level of responsibility. You must |
| practiced, developed and enhanced. There are five | | | | encourage your people to take on tasks that will |
| skills that must be learned to take your leadership | | | | stretch their thinking and capabilities and utilize the |
| to the next level. The five core disciplines are: | | | | training you have given them. |
| integrity, planning, communication, encouragement | | | | A leader is a perpetual learner. They are focused |
| and perpetual learning. | | | | on self-development and personal growth. This |
| Integrity is about wholeness, completeness and | | | | discipline of continual learning will speak volumes to |
| keeping your word, so you can be an example to | | | | those within your organization. It shows that you |
| your company. Integrity is a discipline that must | | | | understand that you don’t know it all. In order |
| be practiced. A leader that has integrity has | | | | for your business to keep up with your market |
| consistency, they don’t move as the wind | | | | and competition, you must keep up with the |
| blows. People who are consistent can be gauged, | | | | changes. Leaders are readers. Commit to learning. |
| you know what they will allow and will not allow. | | | | We must learn about our competition, the up |
| As a leader, your walk must match you talk. Your | | | | coming trends and fads, as well as the many |
| integrity extends to those around you. The | | | | changes that are occurring within the economy. |
| culture of your department or organization is a | | | | Are you practicing the five core disciplines of an |
| reflection of who you are. It is an extension of | | | | effective leader? If you are ready for your |
| your character. The lifestyle you have and the | | | | organization to grow you must practice these |
| way you interact with the people you lead will | | | | necessary disciplines. Your integrity will declare |
| determine how much your business will achieve. | | | | that your enterprise operates at a high standard. |
| Planning is the next skill to learn. Planning deals with | | | | When it comes to planning remember the old |
| the path you will take your company down to | | | | adage, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to |
| arrive at your destination, your vision. Creating a | | | | fail”. With your communication, continue to |
| plan takes imagination and making educated | | | | develop your ability to communicate your vision |
| guesses. Your plan is your playbook for your | | | | effectively. Encouraging the people within your |
| organization. As with any sport, the plays you run | | | | organization through proper delegation will set |
| on the field are taken from the team’s | | | | your company apart from your competition. |
| playbook and executed with as much accuracy as | | | | Finally, you must be a seeker of knowledge as |
| possible. But we must realize that plays in the | | | | you lead your organization down the path to |
| book cannot take into account for all of the | | | | greatness. |