THREE THINGS A GOOD LEADER (ENTREPRENEUR) MUST POSSESS!
As I’m sure you are aware, there is an endless supply of books on the market today that deal with leadership, and I will be the first to admit that I own a lot of them. Sometimes though I just get bogged down with all of the details from the latest research. I mean, It’s a lot to take in, don’t you think? Is it really necessary to know what your Emotional IQ is? And that’s why I find myself at times just wanting to get back to basics.
Earlier this week I was working with an upper-level manager who is very successful at leading and motivating his team. In his office, he had posted a memo on the bulletin board.
It read: “Three Things A Good Leader Must Possess: Vision–Strategy–Accountability”
After reading it, I thought to myself, that’s what it’s all about. It is possible to take the concept of leadership and break it down into the simplest terms and still be effective. Entrepreneurs and small-business owners need these great leadership qualities too. And if you’re like me, in the early phases of start-up, I wanted things to be as simple as possible!
Here are some quick thoughts on each of these three qualities for you to take-in and marinate on over the coming week!
Vision–To be successful, and to be an effective leader, you must have a vision and think big! You may not be running a Fortune 50 company, or even aspire to, but you still have to THINK BIG! Whether you think small or BIG, it requires the same amount of effort, so have a vision for yourself or your company that makes others want to tell you “You’re Crazy!” Down the road, they will be kicking themselves in the backend wishing they were as “Crazy” as you are.
Strategy–When it comes to your business, is your emphasis going to be on growth or differentiating yourself from the competition? And how are you going to accomplish it? Remember, “Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.” I can’t tell you the number of times I have worked with people who have great goals and aspirations for themselves or their business but have absolutely no idea how they are going to do it. What is your strategy for overcoming the challenges that are getting in the way of the future you desire for yourself and your business?
Accountability–I gotta tell you, I’m a huge fan of small business and entrepreneurship, but it’s a different animal. And you have to be a special kind of person to succeed in this game! Not all of us can have a Jillian Michaels getting in our face and telling us to get our butts in gear. That’s why personal accountability in entrepreneurship is so important! So, with that being said, have you followed through on what you need to get accomplished today to continue moving your life or business in the right direction?
Becoming a great leader or entrepreneur often starts with being able to lead ourselves!
Keep Winning!
Originally posted on March 13, 2011, by Nathan R Mitchell, Tulsa Life Coach