Leadership Contest – Answer One Question and Win Three Sessions of Personal Coaching
July 7 kicks off a week of articles, audio training and discussions regarding leadership on the Freedom Personal Development Blog.
I know that out of our thousands of newsletter subscribers and blog readers, the majority of you are either in a leadership role at your company, in your community or working towards becoming a leader.
With so much experience and knowledge about leadership, I want to find out what you feel is the most important leadership concept.
So I am hosting a contest with the grand prize being three sessions of one-on-one leadership coaching.
To enter, at the bottom of this page, simply type your name, email address and answer to this question:
If you were coaching an individual on leadership, in your opinion, what is the one concept that they should absolutely know?
Prizes
Grand Prize – Three sessions of free, one-on-one, personal coaching on the topic of your choice with me, Eric Plantenberg.
Being a coach to hundreds of leaders over the last ten years, I have helped people define their ideal life, achieve goals, break sales records, add hundreds of thousands of dollars to bottom lines, experience freedom, cultivate passion for life, held them accountable to results…..the list goes on and on.
The winner and I will have a conversation about the specific topic and goal they would like to achieve during the coaching sessions. Topics to choose from could include:
Getting more done in less time
Helping the people you work with to realize more of their potential
Defining Core Values for you or your organization
Expanding your comfort zone
Developing more harmony in the different areas of your life
Increasing Internal Accountability
Coaching sessions will be done over the phone. This prize is valued at $1,500.
Second Place – “Expect Success” Book
Third Place – Freedom Personal Development Water Bottle
Winners will be chosen by members of the Freedom Personal Development team and will be emailed and announced on the blog July 31.
Be Free!
Eric Plantenberg
President
As a leader, your primary focus should be on results. The results tell the story of whom may be experiencing challenges, and need more coaching, and whom may not.
Comment by Mike Emrick — July 3, 2008 @ 10:03 am
Confidence
Comment by Christine Allessio — July 3, 2008 @ 10:54 am
If I were coaching someone on leadership, the one concept they should absolutely know, without question, is EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION.
Comment by Chris — July 3, 2008 @ 10:55 am
Servient leadership. A leader must make it clear that one their roles is to support their employees/partners/followers in acheiveing the vision of the organization. Everyone must feel comfortable asking their leader for help/advice/guidance/support in all the facets of the business.
Comment by Tom McCormick — July 3, 2008 @ 10:56 am
Perfect the art of making others look the hero, you do not always have to take the credit.
Comment by Diana — July 3, 2008 @ 11:17 am
If no one is following…you’re not leading
Comment by J. Rene Ward — July 3, 2008 @ 11:20 am
Teamwork – It doesn’t matter where individual members reside within the group’s hierarchy. Everyone must check their egos at the door and work as one. That means helping others with tasks when the need arises, regardless whether that task is considered “below them.” In addition, everyone must be held accountable for their individual area of responsibility within the group.
Comment by Janal Emmer — July 3, 2008 @ 11:20 am
The one word answer is not as easy as it first seems. There are many different styles of effective leaders and each brings a special quality to the task. However, after some thought I believe the concept of Flexibility is paramount to a good leader. Being flexible does not mean giving in or giving up but having the strength to acknowledge that there can be more than one way or even a better way to do or look at a situation or a person. Learning to present flexibility without being or appearing to be soft or a pushover is not always easy. But if managed correctly can be the key to unlocking talent and ideas.
Comment by Emily Osborn — July 3, 2008 @ 11:21 am
Lead by example
Comment by Linda Aldridge — July 3, 2008 @ 11:28 am
You don’t have to be aggressive to be a good leader.
Comment by Carol Gillespie — July 3, 2008 @ 11:31 am
How to motivate and inspire followship
Comment by Maxine Barber — July 3, 2008 @ 11:36 am
True leadership is grooming your replacement to follow after you are gone. Great leaders leave not a legacy, but a thriving organization that can continue on without them. You should never be irreplaceable. Your job is to groom your replacement so that you can move up….and so can they….and the organization can continue to grow and thrive.
Comment by Kathy Carl — July 3, 2008 @ 11:43 am
That they need to sit back and listen to what someone is saying and be observant to their body language. It is extremely important to be intuitive.
Comment by Patti Signorile — July 3, 2008 @ 11:44 am
Passion & Purpose-without these how can you convince others to follow?
Comment by Christy Sullivan — July 3, 2008 @ 11:46 am
The one absolute Leadership concept an individual must have is the ability to empathetically listen to the audience for the essence of the message.
Comment by Arthur Lin — July 3, 2008 @ 11:49 am
Do SOMETHING.
Comment by David Vanadia — July 3, 2008 @ 11:51 am
Personal Accountability and Decisiveness.
Comment by Rob Miller — July 3, 2008 @ 11:54 am
Humility … give others the credit.
Comment by Keith E Kolekofski, Jr. — July 3, 2008 @ 11:56 am
You should absolutely be aware of your own individual strengths and weaknesses. IE: if you know that you have low empathy or do not listen well, it is the leaders responsbility to be aware of that in situations where they need to show empathy and listen. The better they know their own stengths/weaknesses, the better they can adapt themselves to match the personality they are dealing with.
Comment by Teri Bell — July 3, 2008 @ 12:04 pm
If there were only one concept of leadership that should be ingrained in every leaders repertoire it would be “Treat people the same by treating them differently”. The Situational Leadership model taught by Blanchar and Hersey was an eye opener for me and has been a basic tenet of how I lead people and train new leaders today.
We must remind ourselves that this model is task specific and not a generic way to treat individuals based on their tenure in the job.
Here’s to Ken Blanchard!
Comment by Dave Neuhaus — July 3, 2008 @ 12:06 pm
The one concept every leader must know, embrace and execute on every minute of every day is “integrity in all that we do”. Here, leading by example is not a simple maxim, it is an absolute imperative. Your teams observe all that you do and say. Do what you say you will do. Act with integrity. Speak with integrity. Demand integrity from all your stakeholders.
Comment by Gene Mehr — July 3, 2008 @ 12:07 pm
While there are many factors to effective leadreship, if starting from the VERY beginning, I feel it is important to teach a leader that people need to be led in different ways. One stop shop does not work. Get to know your people, what motivates them, what their buttons are and lead your people the way that is most effective to them as individuals. Then you can work as a team. Listen, get to know, motivate, then lead.
Comment by Tricia Armstrong — July 3, 2008 @ 12:08 pm
Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care…
Comment by John Mikesh — July 3, 2008 @ 12:13 pm
The number one concept would be that the individual has the power to make there world whatever they want it to be, in whatever area of life, regardless
of what their current perspective is on their life/situation.
Comment by Brian Kniegge — July 3, 2008 @ 12:21 pm
Time Management and organizing your day and tasks.
Comment by Stephen Gozza — July 3, 2008 @ 12:25 pm
Here is a great link to a site detailing information on “Situational Leadership”.
http://www.12manage.com/methods_blanchard_situational_leadership.html
Comment by Dave Neuhaus — July 3, 2008 @ 12:27 pm
They have to be coachable and accountable.
Comment by Marla Sayaovang — July 3, 2008 @ 12:29 pm
Leadership is all about motivating others through positive consideration and explicit communication whether directive or recognition.
Comment by Margaret Kleine — July 3, 2008 @ 12:30 pm
Your ability to lead effectively depends on your ability to build or command the trust of those you lead. If those you lead trust you, you will experience increased efficiency. If they distrust you, you will experience decreased efficiency.
Comment by Andrew Mecham — July 3, 2008 @ 12:34 pm
If I were coaching an individual on leadership, the one concept they should absolutely know is INTEGRITY! There is nothing more powerful that someone who does what they say they will do and guards his/her integrity regardless of circumstances.
Comment by Lillian Sanabria-Hernandez — July 3, 2008 @ 12:35 pm
Lead by example. Communicate & listen.
Comment by Renee Stiles — July 3, 2008 @ 12:40 pm
Listen more talk less
Comment by Steve — July 3, 2008 @ 12:52 pm
The greatest Leader whom ever walked the earth was humble, subsevient, and led by example…Jesus Christ.
Comment by Don deLorenzo — July 3, 2008 @ 12:53 pm
Understanding leadership and actually leading are two different activities. The key to transforming yourself and someone else from someone who understands leadership
to a person who successfully leads in the real world is character. Your character qualities activate
and empower your leadership ability, or they can stand in the way of your success!
Comment by Rebecca Carr — July 3, 2008 @ 12:56 pm
Listen
Comment by Chris Munyon — July 3, 2008 @ 12:57 pm
You must learn to LISTEN.
Comment by George Klein — July 3, 2008 @ 1:02 pm
that a good leader should not be above doing the same work or jobs that his or her people are expected to do. In other words, set a good example
Comment by Maryalice — July 3, 2008 @ 1:14 pm
The ability to convey complete confidence that what you say and what you do is in the best interests of your constituants.
Comment by Al. Gutterman — July 3, 2008 @ 1:25 pm
All people…young & old, from every tribe & nation…are not motivated by money. They are motivated by RECOGNITION. Affirm those you lead, and watch them follow.
Comment by Shauna Dow — July 3, 2008 @ 1:40 pm
Be clear with your intent and purpose and let all your thoughts, speech, actions, and relationships support completion of that mission to the betterment of everyone involved.
Comment by Jeff McElroy — July 3, 2008 @ 1:43 pm
You can not lead people anywhere if you don’t know where you want to go. If I were coaching an individual on leadership the one concept that they should absolutely know is their Vision. A good leader needs to know his/her Vision of where they are going and understand how to clearly communicate that Vision to the people who they hope are “along for the ride”.
Comment by Kurt Durrwachter — July 3, 2008 @ 1:50 pm
That there are no WRONGS….only degrees of RIGHTS.
I had to sole search as to why I am always content and came up with this reason. Thanks for bringing this to “my” surface.
Comment by Jan Demont — July 3, 2008 @ 1:52 pm
There are so many great comments preceeding me, it will be difficult to match them. But, it doesn’t hurt to try. If I were to tell a person I was coaching on leadership the one concept they should absolutely know to be a great leader, I would have to say to develop and grow the ability to listen.
Listening is a skill that must be learned and honed at all times. If at any point in a coversation you have started think about what you are gong to say next, you have stopped listening and will lose that one vital piece of information you need to make a rock solid relationship upon which your leadership will be built.
Comment by Scott Fry — July 3, 2008 @ 1:54 pm
These are some outstanding ideas.
Don’t hesitate to elaborate on why these concepts are critical in promoting effective leadership.
Be Free!
Comment by Eric Plantenberg — July 3, 2008 @ 1:56 pm
It is your job to help your people become successful and reach their potential (whatever that means to them). You can accomplish this by being the leader that your people need you to be on an individual basis. What works for one person will not work for another person and fair does not mean equal. As a leader it is your job to differentiate your management style to that of the individual. The way you reward people, the opportunities you present, how much time you spend with them, the candidness of your feedback and the flexibility in which you allow them to do their job are just some examples of things that can and should be differnent for each member of your team. As a leader it is about them, not about you.
Comment by Lary Wright — July 3, 2008 @ 2:04 pm
Lead by example.
Comment by Corey — July 3, 2008 @ 2:10 pm
If I were coaching an individual on leadership, the one concept I feel he or she should absolutely know is that being a leader means being a person of character that you yourself would choose to follow – respect, trust, and reward others.
Comment by Kate Poppe — July 3, 2008 @ 2:13 pm
I think the best advise for a leader is to allow your team members, employees, to do their job – allow them the privledge of being empowered in their position – to have ownership in what they do. It is my opinion that, well selected employees, will do just that – they will do what is expected and needed (sometimes more) allowing you, the leader – to do your job – lead, not do.
Comment by Rita Baranowski — July 3, 2008 @ 2:14 pm
The best advice I heard concerning leadership is true leader must learn to learn to follow. To be an effective leader, you must have the respect of those you are leading. The most ineffective leaders seem to be very obstinate and unable to yeild. Those who are most effective work WITH those who are below them and try to compromise. They really value the input and opinions of those they work with and realize that their opinion or method is not always the best. So anyone I was coaching on leadership would be told that you have to learn when to be a follower to be an effective leader.
Comment by Melissa Campbell — July 3, 2008 @ 2:18 pm
They should know that leading and managing are two different things. I’d coach them on the differences between the two and help them take a look inside to see which one applies to them.
Comment by Jill Stache — July 3, 2008 @ 2:23 pm
How to listen and to be a good listener.
Comment by Bonnie Allard — July 3, 2008 @ 2:37 pm
Most important is that a leader first “leads” by example in everything that you do. That being said, your job then is to do your absolute best to win peoples acceptance of and guide them to the achievement of those objectives you the leader are responsible for. Ideally they will also have some say in determining how those objectives can best be met. However since everyone may not always agree with how to get the job done no matter how hard you try, they will sometimes need to be given direction and that is ok.
Comment by Charlie Hendrickson — July 3, 2008 @ 2:37 pm
If I were coaching individuals on leadership, the one concept that they should absolutely know is to lead is to serve. An ability to serve others demands cooperation, humility, equality, diversity, and self-sacrifice. When a person leads, another person or a group of people, it is a privilege yet painfully apparent that the other individual has needs and in order to lead people someone needs to consider and serve them. At that point, a servant attitude builds a connection and environment in which a leader can begin to direct people in meaningful ways for themselves and the organization as a whole. Giving of yourself and laying down your life as a leader is truly serving others and is the greatest gift that can be given by a leader.
Comment by C. Dieck — July 3, 2008 @ 2:39 pm
The one leadership concept that I feel is most important is how to motivate others. With the immense diversity of our staff it is always tough to know what will truly motivate each person and once you know, how to motivate effectively.
JJ Astorquia
Comment by JJ Astorquia — July 3, 2008 @ 2:51 pm
Always make eye contact & make others feel their opinion and ideas matter – if you can’t use the opinion or idea acknowledge the effort!!
Comment by lisa merkes — July 3, 2008 @ 2:52 pm
The one concept most often missed completely, undervalued, or misunderstood regarding leadership is that leadership has much more to do with listening than speaking and more to do with understanding than being heard. That is to say that genuine leadership places the leader in a position of service to his or her subordinates in contrast to many people’s perception of the leader in a position of superiority or domination. The true leader is reluctant to place him or herself on a plane above those led. Rather he/she takes to heart the full weight of his or her responsibilities to care for, advance, develop, and inspire the betterment of those in his or her charge. There are many concepts regarding leadership that must be understood by anyone wishing to become an effective leader, but mastering the concept that leadership is based on influence–not authority–goes to the heart of developing tomorrow’s leaders. By nature, influence is granted freely (or rejected) by those whom one wished to lead. In order to influence others, one must first understand others. Therefore, the leader must first be a student of the led.
Comment by Todd McCurry — July 3, 2008 @ 3:21 pm
Integrity – will you do what you say you’re going to do.
Comment by Ralph Brigham — July 3, 2008 @ 3:23 pm
Integrity means EVERYTHING. Know your current situation, understand and embody a future vision, be honest and respectful, and bring genuine opportunity to others.
Comment by Scott Macpherson — July 3, 2008 @ 3:37 pm
Everyone’s mirror reflects a unique image.
Comment by Greg Waddell — July 3, 2008 @ 3:41 pm
my answer to your questions is this
theone concept they should know is:
keep your mind open, be firm but friendly, great ideas come to people who keep an open mind, never underestimate anyone ,have respect for all, but be firm .
Comment by Hala Elkhawanky — July 3, 2008 @ 3:46 pm
What is the golden rule of becoming a leader?
People follow people they genuinely like.
That
Comment by Corey Walter — July 3, 2008 @ 4:40 pm
You will often not be the smartest person on your team, but you can never not lead. Never let anyone lead your team in the wrong direction. You were chosen to be the leader for a reason.
Comment by Jim Bush — July 3, 2008 @ 4:53 pm
For successful leadership I think one of the most important qualities is flexibility. The ability to be flexible in understanding that each individual has a unique set of talents as well as quirks.
Comment by Chyrel Madden — July 3, 2008 @ 5:30 pm
Expectations
Comment by Scott Patch — July 3, 2008 @ 5:31 pm
My answer to your question is… failure and success are both illusions. Leadership is knowing that experience both positive and negative is valuable and leads to growth. When an individual is able to let go of observing life in a failed/succeeded manner they are able to accept everything as an experience and an opportunity to continue grow and learn.
Comment by Jeremy Gilsoul — July 3, 2008 @ 5:53 pm
The one concept someone should know is that great leaders allow those under their purview to blossom and grow and come into their own. This oftentimes means encouraging others to make decisions (good and bad)and learn from both. A great leader takes responsiblity for when things go wrong but never takes the credit from others when things go great.
Comment by D'anne Long — July 3, 2008 @ 7:10 pm
Clarity of purpose – in the broadest sense – is the best guide for your actions. Compromise on any issue of principle will entail lasting suffering.
Comment by Steve Rosberg — July 3, 2008 @ 8:04 pm
To be an effective leader, you must be able to EMPOWER those who work for you. Managing and leading are completely different, and leaders must empower their managers and employees to get the job done. Leaders are responsible for empowering others (managers and all employees) to carry out the vision. Leaders should never over-manage or micro-manage, that is not their role at all.
Comment by Kathy — July 3, 2008 @ 9:36 pm
Certainly “Determination” is one of the essential qualities for a leader. To quote my Guru: “Inferior people do not even start any great work because of the mere anticipation of opposition. Mediocre people no doubt start some work, but when confronted with opposition, they leave the work unfinished. The best type of person never gives up any work unfinished, even if they are confronted with enormous difficulties at every step, they persist until the work is successfully completed.”
Comment by Didi Ruchira — July 3, 2008 @ 9:37 pm
Trust
Comment by Dave Hackiewicz — July 3, 2008 @ 11:44 pm
The person coaching must believe in the concept, know the concept in depth, and live the concept in belief and knowledge each day with enthusiam.
Comment by bob brown — July 4, 2008 @ 5:06 am
How to show confidence. (Speaking and presenting techniques)
Comment by Art Rouse — July 4, 2008 @ 6:32 am
In my opinion, The most important concept of a great leader is to lead by example with the highest amount of positive energy to fuel all situations, not only at work but as a way of life.
Comment by irv hirschfeld — July 4, 2008 @ 9:41 am
Leadership is a combination of the leader, followers, and the situation, who all play a role in forming a leader.
Comment by Derek — July 4, 2008 @ 10:17 am
The One Concept the participants have to know and around which many other concepts revolve and derive from is that of TRUST. If You Establish trust, You Guarantee successful leadership; TRUST is the Key word..
TO LEAD, is to Trust and believe in yourself and capabilities, and is to trust and believe in your Staff (and telling them you Do trust them by both words and action(
If you establish this kind of trust in yourself and with your staff, this way You are playing successfully in a team.
So, To LEAD, is to be a team player
TO LEAD is to the friend, and the Manager
To LEAD is to Motivate all time, and Punish When necessary
To LEAD is to Listen Carefully, and Act Wisely
To be a risk taker, and rational at the same time
To be humble, but confident
To Lead is to play the roles of the PARENTS; BOTH the mother and the father
To manage to Create a Bond of LOVE which is wrapped by discipline UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF TRUST. This bond is never achieved without TRUST.
Comment by Amira Elsayed — July 4, 2008 @ 4:59 pm
I believe the number one attribute of any leader is Integrity. As a leader you need to identify your “Moral Code” and stick to it in all situations; that is Integrity. In other words, do as you say and say as you do, or as my mother used to say, “Practice what you preach.” You will see in many of the other answers how people have identified their “Moral Code” and how they live by it. All of them are maintaining Integrity, and because of that, their answers are right on target. Whether your Moral Code includes trust, honesty, teamwork, empowerment, setting the right example or any of the other great examples listed, you must know your Moral Code and live by it at all times. Start your coaching by teaching others to maintain their Integrity at all times.
Comment by Brent Buxton — July 5, 2008 @ 12:00 am
“What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve” Napoleon Hill
It all starts with the vision and the “how to” will follow.
Comment by Iris McKenzie — July 5, 2008 @ 2:18 am
look at every situation from all points of view, yours,his and the one most people forget a neutral point of view.
Comment by nikki di girolamo — July 5, 2008 @ 2:39 am
A concept a leader must know…..They must know their position as a leader, why they are there, and utilized their leadership tools to exploit and push individuals so as to reach their highest potential. This will result in acheiving business goals for a company and has to individual’s way of life also.
Comment by AMY HIRSCHFELD — July 5, 2008 @ 8:28 am
It is important to remember that everyone has different strengths and skills to contribute, and that they are all important to build a successful team. Focus on goals and positive affirmations lead to success.
Comment by carol johnson — July 5, 2008 @ 10:51 am
Observe & listen
Comment by paul salisbury — July 5, 2008 @ 1:17 pm
It will be teaching someone how to become that shining example whereby others will want to follow.
Comment by Junior — July 5, 2008 @ 2:34 pm
“An accepted leader has only to be sure of what it is best to do, or at least to have made up his mind about it.” Great leaders must understand much more than this concept alone, but even a five-year-old who has her mind made up about something can seem confident enough to persuade a group of adults toward a common goal.
Comment by Jonathan — July 6, 2008 @ 11:26 am
I think the best thing a person who wants to be a leader should know is that it’s really NOT about you; it’s about the people that follow you. You need to get them to buy into your ideas, and if they don’t, consider changing them some based on the people you want to lead. It’s hard to be a leader to no one. . .
PS – I’m just adding my idea. I’m not looking to win your competition
Comment by Abby Beale — July 6, 2008 @ 1:23 pm
A true leader is a servant. When you help every one to suceed you will be successful. When building a team, getting people who have skills that exceed yours or are knowledgable about the area that you are working on will make the team more successful. A true servant knows how to set boundaries that releases everyone on the team to do their best because you are trusting them. That gives them the confidence to have ideas that are not in the box. Giving credit where credit is due can bring the organization, team or business a sense of trust that releases all to do their best and have creative ideas.
Comment by Ruth Kuehl — July 6, 2008 @ 1:57 pm
Never ask a subordinate to do something that you have or would not do yourself.
Comment by Derrick Davis — July 6, 2008 @ 6:31 pm
The key to leadership is leading yourself. Leading yourself is the most difficult thing to master, and until you’ve done that, it’ll be very difficult to effectively lead others. What do I mean by “lead yourself?” You’re able to effectively lead yourself when you have a clear vision and direction for your own life, a clearly defined purpose for the role that you’ve assumed, and clear values that guide your decision-making process. Of course, there are many other useful concepts that a leader should know, but from my experience, I consider this to be the most important.
David Meyers
Comment by David Meyers — July 6, 2008 @ 9:59 pm
Lead by example.
Comment by Joan Dixon — July 7, 2008 @ 7:47 am
The one most important thing anyone seeking success should know is – no one can make it happen but you!
Comment by Tammy Mitchell — July 7, 2008 @ 8:01 am
The most important concept in leadership is to show the way in order to guide and influence those you are working with. Rather than just saying what and how to do it, one must have already done and is willing to do anything to show their group how to reach its goals. People need direction and a good leader should be able to show through their hard and diligent effort and that by putting the right group together anything is possible.
Comment by Bill Diana — July 7, 2008 @ 8:05 am
Leaders are readers. It’s important for leaders to continue to grow as they coach and mentor others to do the same.
Comment by Cindy Enli — July 7, 2008 @ 8:29 am
An individual should not necessarily have to “know” anything, but should have an open mind to learn and apply anything and everything that can help them grow.
Comment by Beth Lindorff — July 7, 2008 @ 8:45 am
In order to be a great leader, you must have the ability to motivate. Being positive and motivating are the building blocks for a leader. To get people to want to follow instead of feeling that they must.
Comment by Laura Norris — July 7, 2008 @ 9:52 am
Integrity
Comment by Nora S Laube — July 7, 2008 @ 9:57 am
The most important concept a leader needs to possess is the ability to choose team members that share your attitude and goals. I have found that a person with a good attitude is easier to train and motivate.
Comment by Mike Lansford — July 7, 2008 @ 10:11 am
How to Listen.
Comment by Chris Christie — July 7, 2008 @ 10:23 am
If you were coaching an individual on leadership, in your opinion, what is the one concept that they should absolutely know?
Understanding that our thoughts are the single most important tool we have for success. The power of our mind is limitless, and what we think literally creates what we experience in life. Our thoughts create our lives and become things. There are onlt two types of existence, one is to be a victim and the other is to be a creator of our lives. It all depends on our thoughts.
Comment by Christy — July 7, 2008 @ 11:08 am
How be a servant of the people who follow you
Comment by Tyrone Clarence — July 7, 2008 @ 11:37 am
A leader without a team is nothing. When the team recognizes you have the courage to declare and act on your goals to the point success is inevitable, they will find a way to help if they’ve been empowered and truly understand the reasoning behind it. Teaching “why” to those who haven’t typically been given the opportunity to learn why something is important to an organization has always helped me answer the “who”, in “who can help execute the goals”, and this is where the next level of leaders are born.
Comment by Chet — July 7, 2008 @ 12:22 pm
Surround yourself with superior minds and LISTEN to everyone. Learn to process all information accurately.
Compile, categorize and utilize all pertainate information and eliminate the fluff.
Comment by George D. Mahler, Jr. — July 7, 2008 @ 12:34 pm
Be a good listener. It is so easy to get wrapped up in what needs to be done, that you may not listen “effectively”. Your employee’s input can be valuable on two levels. One – good ideas for the project, and two, by truly listening you are instilling confidence and helping your employee to grow and become a leader also.
Comment by Karen Lowe — July 7, 2008 @ 12:45 pm
The most respected quality a leader posseses is the ability to listen…especially regarding criticism. When a leader is percieved to respect the opinion of others then their opinions are held in high esteem.
Comment by Elaine — July 7, 2008 @ 12:47 pm
A leader must be a servant to all their employees. That was said by someone a whole lot smarter than me, and it still holds true 2000 years later.
When your serve others and help them to become successful, you become more successful yourself.
In serving you will do so with integrity and consistency. This way everyone wins
Comment by Gwenda Meyer — July 7, 2008 @ 12:47 pm
The most important concept regarding leadership is: the best leaders are the best servants of those they lead. In fact, the initial leaders for those in the military are sergeants. Sergeant comes form the Latin ’servient’ (one who serves). The most effective leaders are those who have developed the ability to serve others. They realized that through this heart felt approach to helping others they will inspire and motivate more as well as develop lasting loyalty. Not surpringly, those who have been led by this servant leader often times will have the drive to accomplish more as a way of thanking their leaders.
Comment by Bill Lenczynski — July 7, 2008 @ 1:40 pm
A strong desire to lead by using empathetic communication along with the ability to be flexible as dictated by situation and personalities involved.
Comment by Jack D. Rees — July 7, 2008 @ 2:31 pm
They should know what their strength’s are! From that point, you can develop him or her based on his or her strength’s.
Comment by Robert F. McKnight — July 7, 2008 @ 4:05 pm
The one thing I believe any leader needs to know is that a belief is yourself will lead you on. While you can look to others for guidance, in the end you must be willing to make the decision and believe that your decision is the right one. This alone will allow you the courage to continue your leadership journey, on to the next level. If your decision is proven wrong, you need to take some learning from the experince, and again move on.
Comment by Nancy Reiser — July 7, 2008 @ 9:36 pm
“Duplication” In everything you do day to day you must lead by example. Know that you are watched closely.
Comment by Jeff Ramsey — July 8, 2008 @ 6:11 am
Integrity – no one will follow a leader they can’t trust.
Comment by Teresa Bakker — July 8, 2008 @ 6:57 am
A projection of self confidence and experience.
Comment by Paul Winiarz — July 8, 2008 @ 8:34 am
The individuals goal.
Comment by Jim Zarkadas — July 8, 2008 @ 2:46 pm
Be the change you want to see knowing your your positive attitudes and actions are contagious.
Comment by julie audino — July 8, 2008 @ 9:15 pm
Impermanence
Comment by Paul — July 9, 2008 @ 2:30 am
To be a truly good leader you must be able to maintain and also teach others to balance their priorities. Without that balance a leader cannot maintain focus and without focus everything else falls apart.
Comment by Wonda Coppin — July 9, 2008 @ 10:23 am
WOW! This is a great post. Everyone has great insight on the subject. Be sure to spend a few minutes reading the comments from all our leaders. I know I learned a ton from reading them. Looking forward to hearing about our winners!
Comment by loren — July 9, 2008 @ 11:48 am
I find it effective to make sure that every person on the team is recognized for being integral to the success of the whole (if they’re not, why are they on the team?). When people feel valued, their level of investment in the team increases, producing greater outcomes, cohesiveness within the team, and that many more opportunities to recognize their value.
Comment by Aaron Plantenberg — July 9, 2008 @ 1:02 pm
I think the most important thing a leader needs to know is how to serve others.
Comment by Tony Bell — July 9, 2008 @ 6:39 pm
Respect on both sides is a big factor. To be a leader you need respect from your employees but you also need to respect them, and value their opinions.
Comment by Betsy Merritt — July 10, 2008 @ 11:03 am
I think the most important leadership quality is to learn to START by finding out what motivates the people you are leading and then to use that to motivate them. If you are leading employees and trying to motivate them with money when they really want verbal praise, your leadership will be very ineffective. If you are trying to lead them with praise and all they want is a raise to show they are worthy to the company, again, your leadership is very ineffective. This goes for all types of groups: volunteer, factory, office, non-profit, kids, adults, etc. It is like using the “5 Love Languages” in a marriage or with your kids. The smart leader is the one who needs to figure out the language of the people they are leading and then learn how to speak those languages effectively. Most only speak one or two languages and never thing about the other ones, and never think about whether how they are “speaking” is the best way for their people to “hear”.
Comment by Colleen Boehm — July 10, 2008 @ 11:20 am
Always lead by example. If you preach (lead) what you do not do, you lose your credibility. No one will follow a leader who is discredited.
Comment by Joseph Eiting — July 10, 2008 @ 11:31 am
Your greatest assets are your employees. Remember to nurture them and establish paths for their professional growth.
Comment by Joe Vaccaro — July 10, 2008 @ 11:34 am
The one concept that every new leader should know is that it’s all about “People understanding Processes”. In other words when you hire for attitude and train for skill, you as a leader have positioned your self for a better result. The right employee with a great attitude has all of the quilities to stay engaged. All you need to do is continue to have daily one on one’s with the new employee and manage the other team members by your walking around (being visable). Most new leaders who fail or struggle hire for skill and wonder why the individual(s) can’t understand processes.
Comment by Brandon K. Hardison — July 10, 2008 @ 11:47 am
A leader is there to serve/help/build those who they lead.
Comment by Nathan Bingham — July 10, 2008 @ 11:47 am
A leader must be confident. You can
Comment by Traci Bilski — July 10, 2008 @ 12:12 pm
I think the most important thing as a leader is to display and believe confidence. If you waiver too much in discussions, conflicts, or other leadership details, you may find your staff not respecting you. If you are confident and display this in everything you do and say, they will respect your decisions whether they want to or not.
Comment by Melissa Sebastian — July 10, 2008 @ 12:56 pm
If I were to teach one concept of leadership it would be to be honest and genuine in the moment. This can’t be done
with out having a mission with a clear vision that the value is self evident to the task, objective and goal. This concept naturally has accountability built into it which, in my experience, made it easier for others to follow rather
than me to lead. Summed up….. it would be leadership by example.
Comment by Chip Greenberg — July 10, 2008 @ 2:37 pm
The concept of “Listening” One can not lead if he/she does not follow to begin with.
Comment by David Tuohy — July 10, 2008 @ 2:59 pm
OK Ok stop I give. . . I vote for #23 Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care
Comment by David Tuohy — July 10, 2008 @ 3:26 pm
#######################
That is really funny Dave. It really doesn’t get better than that!
What i’d like to know is a DEFINITIVE sourcing of that quote. It is most often attributed to Theodore Roosevelt, but i have yet to find the speech or writing that validates that. And many others also have their name on that quote.
Does anyone know of the source of this quote?
Be Free!
eric
Comment by Eric Plantenberg — July 10, 2008 @ 8:19 pm
To lead by example.
You need to convey to your team that you are not beneath anything you would ask them to do. If the garbage can if full, let them see you empty it and they will see the support.
Leaders allow their team members to be ambitious and take action. However they also need to know that there is accountability to their actions. Both positive and negative. Give them a rope and see how far they go with it.
Comment by Bob Bertog — July 11, 2008 @ 7:05 am
Good old fashion HONESTY. To be honest to yourself and to others in everything you do. Listen to your innerself. It ALWAYS tells the truth!
Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom – Thomas Jefferson
Comment by Sue Jeavons — July 11, 2008 @ 4:47 pm
For me procrastination is a big issue that I think many people have. I am always going to get a task done and I never can make myself do it and then it’s just another thing to the pile in my head. That and self talk. I know I attract negativity because I always am thinking there’s not enough.
Comment by Brenda Granbery — July 11, 2008 @ 9:01 pm
Humility is an essential concept that a coach or mentor must not only pass on to those they coach and mentor, but also be demonstrated.
Comment by Gregory Zander — July 11, 2008 @ 10:32 pm
CLARITY – having a clear picture of what you are doing and why is essential in business and in life. When you are clear and can see where you are headed, the many elements of effective leadership fall into place. You communicate clearly, listen more effectively, and are able to operate with integrity and credibility much more seamlessly when you know and can illustrate the reasons why.
Quite often people have a pretty good idea of what they want and why they want it, and will be magnetically attracted to a leader who can help bring their life into focus.
Comment by Ken Budka — July 13, 2008 @ 10:17 am
Delegation is not a relief of personal responsibility!
Comment by Charlotte Rigsby — July 13, 2008 @ 10:06 pm
If you are coaching someone in leadership what they should know is that they have the ability to transform their thinking and the ability to do just about whatever they set their mind to do. It all comes from the mind.
Comment by Evy Mariscal — July 14, 2008 @ 9:38 am
Never tire of doing what is right.
Leadership should not be a goal we have, rather an outcome of a life lived boldy.
Comment by Leah Strohman — July 15, 2008 @ 1:05 pm
The one concept that is a must know for leadership…
Listening
Comment by Michael Braatz — July 15, 2008 @ 9:43 pm
Patience. Being a leader is often confused with being agressive and assertive, but to be a great leader/teach someone how to be a leader, you needs to patience. Your people may only need direction at specific times, not someone to constantly hoover over them and show them what to do. Many people are able to teach themselves and learn better on their own. A true leader shouldn’t just lead their people, but assist in showing their people how to lead themselves..
Comment by Kim Kimbler — July 16, 2008 @ 12:31 pm
I think one of the most important things a leader can do is recognize that when there are conflicts, to address them right away and not let them fester. Little things can easily escalate into serious challenges if a situation is allowed to get out of hand. For instance, at a recent executive committee meeting I had two people blow up at each other in front of everyone. They were interacting inappropriately with each other and not listening to each other. I e-mailed the entire committee and spoke about focus, commitment and listening to each other before speaking. It was written in a non-accusatory way and the e-mail was effective. People wrote to me about the situation and other areas where we are having problems and I came away with a better understanding of why people were feeling the way they were. The hard part though is getting the two people who were involved in the incident to work with each other. Their personalities are very much the same even though they each think they are very different.
Comment by Cynthia Jahnke — July 20, 2008 @ 9:10 am
I believe that leadership is getting people to find their highest possible goal (which means it is the “Right Size” causing them to stretch and believe they can accomplish it at the same time), have them commit to it, and then hold them accountable to that goal which if set properly was meaningful to them from the beginning. Therefore, you must possess the qualities mentioned above in all of the other wonderful posts to do this. Nice work to everyone else for sharing their deep thoughts.
Comment by Tom — July 23, 2008 @ 7:18 pm
If I where coaching an individual on leadership, the one concept they should know is
To always listen with an open mind. Success sometimes comes from implimenting a combination of good ideas to make a great idea
Comment by Greg Ellis — July 24, 2008 @ 1:43 pm
always tell the truth
Comment by Tim Karlberg — August 5, 2008 @ 12:23 pm
Great leaders help others to discover their true passion and abilities.
Comment by Nick Klein — August 7, 2008 @ 10:10 am
To remember the person’s Name, and the purpose of thier leadership is to be incontrol with out being a tyrant
Comment by Janet Freeland — September 18, 2008 @ 7:56 pm