Get The Picture

The weekend is here again and it is time to work on your leisureship. It is time to relax and get away from the stress and responsibility of leadership and do something you enjoy. Maybe that something is photography. Perhaps you are an amateur photographer and love getting outside and taking pictures.

When I was in high school one of my favorite classes was photography. We not only took picture but learned how to develop them in a darkroom. Back then it was old school with the cameras. I owned a SLR with a removable lens so you could attach a larger lens to it. It also had a removable flash and a manual light meter and focus. It was difficult to take those quick spontaneous pictures but it was a lot of fun.

I still own that camera but in this day and age of digital photography it is quicker and easier to use a small digital camera. I would like to own a digital SLR some day with all the bells and whistles. If you are like me and enjoy taking pictures spend some time this weekend taking photos. The nice thing is you no longer need to wait and get your pictures developed. Just take out the SD card and download them onto your computer or on to a disk.

I have always enjoyed taking pictures of landscape and beautiful scenery. Some people enjoy photos of people, family and friends. My daughter loves taking pictures of animals especially her dog. I think we have more pictures of her dog than we have of her little brother.

Whatever your specialty is get out and enjoy taking pictures. It is a great memory of places you have been and people you have seen.

Here is a picture I took last fall up at Grand View Lodge in Northern Minnesota. That's right it is a picture of scenery but it helps me remember the beauty of up north. It also reminds me of the golf you can play up there.

It's All About The Suit

Appearance can be an important part of leadership. Appearance is also an important part of being a superhero. Most superheroes have a costume of some sort that hides their identity. As the superhero goes around the city fighting crime and saving lives they want to do it anonymously so they wear a suit of some sort.

Tony Stark as Iron Man had a great suit to wear when he was Iron Man but he didn't just wear the suit to hide his identity he also wore the suit because it saved his life. He found that not only did it save his life but it gave him the power he needed to fight evil.

In the 21st century leaders don't always wear suits. It used to be that leaders of companies could be seen wearing a suit everyday to work. Now days it is business casual unless there is an important meeting. The way a leader dresses is very important to the well being of the leader. It could essentially save their life but it also is about perception.

Just like Tony Stark who became a different person when he became Iron man a leader can put on a front and be a different person depending on what they are wearing. It is important to make sure leaders are being honest and presenting themselves professionally. In Iron man 2 Tony Stark began to exploit his Iron Man suit. People began to dislike him because of it and it hurt his image.

Here are some things you can do as a leader to make sure your image isn't tarnished.

• When representing your company represent with Integrity.
• Remember character is how you behave when no one is watching.
• Be honest in all of your dealings.
• Be neat and clean.
• Communicate clearly and be articulate.

Your suit or clothes may not save your physical life but the way you present yourself could save your leadership life.

It's In The Gadgets

Today I am going to continue with my superhero theme. Two days ago I talked about responsibility and used Spiderman as my example. Yesterday I discussed weaknesses and my superhero focus was on kryptonite, Superman's weakness. Not every superhero has super powers that help them be successful. Some have to depend upon gadgets and helpers to fight crime.

Batman was just such a superhero. He had a cool black bat suit, a special bat signal, a bat phone, a bat belt that was like a Swiss army knife on your waist. He also had a sidekick named Robin and one of the coolest cars in superhero history, the batmobile. He used all of these things to his advantage to make sure he was able to protect the citizens and fight crime.

How does this relate to leadership? Leaders have gadgets that they can use to help them be successful leaders. Today I would like to discuss some of those gadgets that you can use as a leader. You might not really think of the following as gadgets, they are more like resources. Leaders have many resources they can use to help them be successful leaders. Here is a list of some of those resources.

• Human Resources - They are the experts in human capital.
• The IT Department - They are the experts in dealing with the real gadgets, your computer.
• Finance - They got the money and they know how to use it.
• Marketing - They can market your brand
• Procurement - They can get you anything (of course you will have to speak with finance about the money).

Tap into these leaders within your organization and you will find you will be a better leader. They are experts in certain areas and should be used whenever possible.

Don't forget the most important resource the people working for you. They are your sidekicks, they help you look good. If you hire the right sidekicks they will have your back and you will be a great leader. Batman wasn't great because of himself it took Robin to help Batman be successful.

Holy leadership Batman, don't forget to use all those great resources!

What is Your Kryptonite?

Let's stay with the superhero theme and talk about weaknesses that leaders might have. All leaders have strengths and weaknesses and while strengths will help you be successful weaknesses can be used to help improve your leadership.

In one of the greatest good versus evil contests in superhero stories we find Superman pitted against his arch enemy Lex Luthor. We know in every battle Superman eventually wins but it doesn't come easy. In fact, Lex Luthor knows Superman's weakness, kryptonite, and he makes every effort to get some kryptonite to render Superman's powers useless.

Do you know your weaknesses as a leader? Maybe it is communication, organization, empowerment or many other traits that just isn't one of your strengths.  Other people may know your weakness and use it against you in your role as a leader. Be sure you know your weakness so you can do something about it.

Superman knew his weakness and would avoid it at all costs. Sometimes leaders don't have the luxury to avoid their weaknesses. What can you do to make sure those weaknesses don't become your kryptonite and render your leadership useless?

• Learn more about your weakness.
• Hire people whose strength is your weakness.
• Use your strengths to improve your weakness.
• Don't try to hide your weakness, admit that it is a weakness.

Don't let that weakness become your kryptonite. Overcome it with your super powers as a leader.

Are You A Champion

"With Great Power, comes great responsibility"

As a leader sometimes you are asked to be a champion for the cause. Be the champion for the policies and decisions of the corporation. Unfortunately whether you like it or not leaders are expected to share with their employees the expectations of the company. It is your responsibility to be the leader you want to be and also abide by those same policies.

Be a champion by living by the policies of the company. Don't shirk your responsibility or think you are above the law and don't have to abide by those policies. It is every one's responsibility to abide by the company policies. As a leader you have greater responsibility because it is up to you to hold the feet to the fire of those who report to you. If they aren't abiding by policy then please call them on it and educate them on what is right.

If you don't do these things you will just be giving leadership a bad name. Leaders need to lead, be champions for the cause and leading the way by showing the correct way to do things.

In the first Spiderman movie, Peter Parker's uncle Ben said to Peter, "With great power, comes great responsibility". Leaders have great power and thus they have great responsibility. There is a reason you are a leader. Don't mess up that responsibility but instead use it for good and share it with others.

When it comes to leadership are you the Green Goblin of leadership or the Spiderman of leadership. You decide, I would hope each of you would choose the Spiderman of leadership.

• Green Goblin -  Willing to exploit your powers for your own personal gain at the expense of those around you.
• Spiderman - Sacrificing yourself for others without wanting praise. Showing others that power should be used for good and not to serve oneself.

Be a champion, be a leader, be responsible!!

Opportunities Knocking

Once you become a leader opportunities will present themselves to you. Opportunities to share your expertise in your area of knowledge. Opportunities to make sure your company is shown in a positive light. Opportunities to be a leader among your peers.

Have you ever been asked to speak at a conference or a workshop? If you have were you prepared? Did your company allow you to speak? Is speaking a passion of yours or do you feel like a fish out of water when you are in front of a group?

I often hear people who are offered speaking engagements yet they are horrible speakers. They use too many filler words and their voice is boring. They are offered those roles because of the position they hold, that doesn't mean they are good speakers. Leaders need to recognize their strengths and tap into them. If speaking isn't one seek help before accepting a speaking engagement.

Here is a list of things you should do before you accept any speaking engagement.

• Make sure you have experience being a public speaker. Toastmasters is a great organization that will help you be prepared to speak.  Toastmasters International
• Make sure you know your topic. Don't accept a speaking engagement if they are speaking about finances but your area of expertise is marketing.
• Make sure you get buy in from your boss. It is nice if you are your own boss then you can accept the speaking engagements that best fit your skills.
• Don't be afraid to say no. You don't have to accept everyone that comes your way. Some may not be a good fit and you attending will be worse than saying no.
• Research the organization you will be speaking at. I spoke at a rotary, before hand I read about their group so I could tailor my speech toward the specifics of their group.

Please for the sake of your audience come prepared to be a dynamic speaker if offered an opportunity to speak. Practice, do your homework and enjoy the time you have to share your knowledge.

Creative Art

Are you a leader from Monday - Friday but a starving artist on the weekend?  Painting, drawing or sculpting is a great way that you can relax on the weekend and forget about the leadership duties you have during the week.

I grew up in a family of artists. My dad loved to draw and my two sisters are very good artists. My oldest sister even attended the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Unfortunately I didn't receive that artistic gene. I do however enjoy art and appreciate those who can paint, draw or create. One of my daughters is a very good artist.

I remember my dad always enjoying drawing because it relaxed him and allowed him to express himself with his pastels or ink. If you are a leader and enjoy creating art you can spend your weekends expressing yourself and drawing things you love. On these beautiful days you can also sit outside and draw in your own yard.

One summer my dad held neighborhood art class and had people in the neighborhood sitting in our yard creating and expressing themselves. My dad would walk around and give pointers. I was quite young but I believe he really enjoyed it and the neighborhood also loved being able to create.

This weekend spend some time at the easel and create something you can hang in your house. You might also create gifts for family members. Just enjoy yourself and escape the leadership rat race with some artistic creativity.

Writing it Down

Are you a writer? If so maybe you could spend some time journaling this weekend. If you enjoy doing it it is a great way to relax. There are people who journal every day and write about things they love. In this day and age of technology writing with a pen and paper is old school. Instead people are tweeting about what they are doing and many people use a blog to convey their message.

The nice thing about journaling now days is that you can share what you love with others. It doesn't have to be sealed away in a book and hiding in your secret hiding place. You can write it on a blog and share your favorite things with others.

If you have hobbies or some passion you can write about that on a daily basis. It is a great way to escape the leadership grind and share the things you love with everyone who reads your blog/journal. This year I said to myself I was going to blog everyday about something I love. I have a passion for leadership so I share information and knowledge about leadership every single day. Visit this blog if you are a leader or aspire to be a leader. I took this idea and put a twist on it for the weekend. I have created something I call leisureship. It is things that leaders can do on the weekend to relax and not think about being a leader.

Today writing can be one of those items. Write to your hearts content and share your love or passion with everyone else. If you read this and have a blog, let me know, I would love to read it and follow your blog.

Culture Club

Do you remember the 80's band The Culture Club? Today's blog has nothing to do with that band. But just like a band has to work together to make the music necessary to be successful a company has to provide a culture that is consistent to create a successful atmosphere. That is where the leader comes in. Leaders within the company need to convey and communicate the culture to the people around them so everyone can understand if they are a good fit for the company or not.

Cultures may not be the same in each and every company but I believe there are some aspects of a culture that are in every company. Just like every band may play different style and type of music there are some parts of bands that are consistent across the music industry. Almost every band has a guitar, bass, drums and keyboard. What are the aspects of a business culture that is consistent throughout the business community?

• Honesty/Integrity - Most companies want to conduct business honestly and with integrity. They want their employees to behave the same way.
• Community - Many companies want to convey a sense of community within their organization. Providing for their employees fun events and outings that help relax the employees.
• Volunteering - Many organizations provide their employees opportunities to volunteer. It helps create pride of accomplishment within their employees.
• Innovation - Many companies want to create an atmosphere that allows for creativity within their employees. The company encourages innovation and outside the box thinking. This is what will help the company grow.

Next week we will lo9ok at the four listed above and examine them more closely. We will look at the role leaders and leadership plays in all of those aspects of culture. If you would like to share any aspects of culture from your company please comment and I'll add them next week.

Open Doors

Another important aspect about being a leader is making sure you institute an open door policy with your people. They should feel comfortable being able to come and talk with you. It is part of the leadership language. You need to convey a sense of concern and empathy to your people so they feel comfortable speaking with you.

Make sure if you do have an open door and you receive those visits that you listen intently and you stop what you are doing and spend some time really understanding the concerns of the person. It is possible there is a conflict and you need to act as the mediator to resolve the issues.

Remember leadership isn't about you it is about everyone else. You are leading them and you want to show them that you have the leadership qualities that will help them be successful.

The open door policy also encourages collaboration and allows everyone to speak freely. It fosters a sense of idea sharing and creates an atmosphere of success. If you close the door and try to lead with iron fists you will only oppress the group and disengage them from their job.

Speaking freely and sharing ideas is something leaders need to embrace daily. Then they will see success and growth in their people.

"Keep your doors open and the ideas flowing"

Follow Through

Many sports require a proper follow through to make sure the job is accurate and complete. In golf and baseball without a good follow through the ball will probably not go very far. When you throw you need to complete your follow through to make sure your throw is accurate.

Every day leaders expect follow through from their people but the leader doesn't always follow through. That is a poor example of leadership. Leaders need to make sure that if they expect something from their people that they also should be following their own rules.

Far too often leaders will say they need an item done by tomorrow. Then when the item is finished and given to the leader for review it isn't returned for weeks. If a leader has a sense of urgency of their people they must display that same sense of urgency.

Part of the leadership language is leading by example and doing what you say you are going to do. Use the following guideline when determining what you will present to your people.

• Do what you say you are going to do.
• Make sure you can complete the item as quickly as you expect others to complete a similar item.
• Be honest with your people.
• Have high expectations but not too high. Only expect from your people what you would be able to achieve.
• Follow through, even on the menial tasks like answering e-mails.

Make the most of yourself and set an example for others by living by the leadership language of "Doing what you say you will do".

Meetings of the Minds

Do you love meetings? It seems a day doesn't go by without a meeting on the schedule. As you climb the leadership ladder you find yourself immersed into more and more meetings. Meetings for this project, meetings for that projects, even meetings to discuss the meetings. It can get tiring attending meetings. Sometimes they are also not necessary.

Today as part of the leadership language series I would like to look at meetings. Meetings are part of the leadership language. It is a way for the minds to come together and share ideas and brainstorm. Knowledge exchange is good and helps in driving the success of the ideas.

Meetings are also held unnecessarily. Some people schedule a meeting when a simple phone call or email would suffice. Here are some guidelines on determining whether a meeting is necessary or not.

• Does your idea or project require brainstorming or knowledge exchange? (You should have a meeting)
• Do you need to present an idea or results of a project. (You should have a meeting)
• Do you need to discuss and train a group on a new process. (You should have a meeting)

• Do you or someone else want to discuss an issue that was in an email. (You don't need a meeting)
• Does someone want to talk about setting a schedule for upcoming meetings. (You don't need a meeting)
• Is someone looking for clarification on an idea or project. (You don't need a meeting)

Think about the time spent in meetings before scheduling one. Use some common sense. Everyone is busy so if you can spare a meeting don't schedule one.

One on One

Have you ever played one on one basketball? When you do you have to know the skills of the person you are playing or you will definitely lose the game. You need to understand their moves and their go to shot. A leader needs to understand the people who work for them. They need to understand their skills, moves and what their go to project is.

Understanding your people doesn't happen overnight. It takes time and effort. It probably takes some one on one time. If you are new to your leadership role you need to spend some time learning your people's jobs and duties. I used to be the director of a learning center and before I even started on the job I met individually with the people who would be working with me and discussed their passions, desires and duties. It helped me going in to have a good knowledge of those I would be leading.

Leaders should have one on ones with their people and they should use that time to communicate their vision. They should also use it to listen to the people and help them craft a plan to reach their goals. It is your responsibility as a leader to lead your people. Make sure you understand their dreams and their goals. Make sure you know their skill set and that you give them tasks and find roles that will help them use their skills to their full potential.

The only way to really do this is to have one on ones with your people. Communicate with them and have them communicate with you. It is all part of the leadership language. Sitting down and having that communication time is important. make it personal and make it friendly.

One on One, it's not a game but a process.

Mall of America

Spent the day today with the family at the Mall of America. I really like that place. Great place to walk and get some exercise as well as shop, eat and play. Going to a mall is a great way to relax with the family and get away from all of your leadership responsibilities.

Every weekend leaders should spend their time relaxing and enjoying life. Maybe you enjoy leadership and that is great but having a change of pace is important. That is where I come in with my weekend blogs. I like to give you ways you can relax and escape from your leadership role.

The Mall of America is a great place to do that. Any mall is a great place to do that. Maybe you have had some great successes at work recently and want to reward yourself. Go shopping and find just the right gift for yourself. If you aren't a shopper a place like the Mall of America offers theaters, restaurants, an indoor amusement park and an aquarium. You can find something for everyone at a place like the MOA. However this is a unique mall. Smaller malls still offer the shopping and the restaurants and some still have theaters.

Take some time out of your busy leadership life and spend some time at a mall today. Even if it is just for people watching. Don't worry about any of your leadership responsibilities, Enjoy!

March Madness

Leaders need a break every now and then and March is a good time for that break. It is March Madness time and whether you are a basketball fan or not you must admit it is exciting to watch those college basketball games.

This weekend escape from your busy week of leadership and enjoy some basketball. Everyone loves the cinderella story and millions of people fill o8ut brackets to see how well they can predict the champion.

Leaders need that break and enjoying good competiton and watching quality basketball is always a great way to relax. This tournament is already living up to the excitement. Day two has seen two number twos go down against two 15s. Lehigh took down the might Duke and Norfolk slew the Mizzou Tigers.

Just like we see the leaders of college basketball take it on the chin when the big game comes. Leaders in business can also take it on the chin. You need to have a good gameplan to prevent losing your cool during those big game leadership decisions. Part of your game plan needs to be relaxation. Weekends are a great time to renew yourself and be fresh for the leadership game.

This weekend enjoy some basketball and I hope your bracket hasn't been busted!

Email Overload

In this day and age of communication e-mail has exploded as a way to send messages and ask questions. Sometimes I think that there is an email overload. Too much email and too much time spent answering e-mails.

As a leader how do you handle the email overload? Email is part of the leadership language. It is a way that leaders communicate on a daily basis with those that work for them and those they work for. It is a challenge to be able to manage all of the emails that come into your box. You need to start to get selective with how to manage the emails or you will spend all your time answering and no time being a leader.

Here is a list of ways you can manage your emails.

· Create folders to move emails and organize them.

· Create forwarding messages to automatically move them to folders.

· Flag important messages.

· Only answer e-mails twice a day.

· Delete unnecessary emails (The kind where someone responds back with a thank you)

Once you have done these things instead of spending your days answering emails spend it leading others and being innovative with your ideas.

No more email overload!

I would love to hear from you with ways that you manage email. Please share a comment.

We've Tried That

Have you ever heard a leader say the words "We've tried that, it doesn't work". Are these the words of a true leader. I don't think so. I have heard that phase used a lot by people in influential positions. I have never understood why they would utter such defeat. A leader needs to utter encouragement and use gentle guidance.

Today we are looking at leadership language and how words can shape your leadership role and shape the future leaders. Uttering negative comments will defeat those around you and they won't want to offer up suggestions in the future. Your leadership and the group you lead will plateau and become stagnant.

A leader needs to offer up hope and even if an idea was tried before and didn't work that doesn't mean you don't have the players in place now to make it work. What if in baseball the manager called for a suicide squeeze (That is when a runner on third takes off during the pitch and the batter bunts the ball to hopefully score the runner) and the runner is out. Does the manager immediately say we will never try that again. No they practice make sure things are correct and try it another time.

Leaders need to be positive. In the situation described above the leader should state the challenges they had before and explain why it didn't work. Then tell their people see if you can make it work and we can revisit the idea. That is encouragement and empowerment.

In all situations the leader should follow the three E's to success.

• Engage
• Empower
• Encourage

Are speaking the language and doing these three things or are you uttering words of failure?

Leadership Language

How is your leadership language? Do you talk the talk but not walk the walk? There are many people out there who talk a good game but when it comes to producing results they fall flat. Leadership is no different. There are many leaders out there who do a good job pretending to be leaders but they have nothing to show for all of their talk.

It is not about how good you look in that leadership role it is all about whether you can get the job done or not. This holds true for political leaders, business leaders, family leaders and church leaders. It doesn't matter what your leadership role is you need to get the job done.

There are many leaders out there you have made a great living leading groups of people down an imaginary primrose path. The whole time they collect the big bucks but the others do all the work and the leader has had no vision except to line their coffer with the sweat of those they lead.

Don't just talk, be a leader of action. Do what you say you are going to do. If you fail admit that you failed, pick up the pieces and come up with a better plan. Failing won't necessarily hurt your leadership role but trying to hide the failure or not admitting you failed will hurt your plan.

You want to lead by example then own up to your responsibilities as a leader and follow through on what you say. Leading is a tough job and it requires hard work. There will be ups and downs of leading but you must react to both in a positive manner and use it as the driving force to make you better.

Start speaking the language of leadership and do what you say you are going to do. Over the next several days I will look at some leadership quotes or terms and define them in light of today's post.

Leader Ledger

You might be wondering what I mean by the title, leader ledger. Are you a list maker? Do you write important things down so you don't forget? Do you keep a to do list for yourself and schedule all of your meetings? If you do you will like the leader ledger.

A leader ledger is a list but not a to do list. It is a list that contains three things. The first thing a leader ledger contains are your successes, the second thing it contains are ideas and the third thing it should contain is an action plan.

Here is how it should break down for you.

• Every time you have a success in your leader life mark that in the first column on your leader ledger. For example: I am involved in Toastmasters and this year I have served as the Area 21 Governor. I would write that success down for myself.
• Any time you come across an idea or a goal you want to achieve then write that down in the second column of your leader ledger. For Example: If I want to hold another office in Toastmasters I would write that down as an idea or a goal of mine. Or what if you read a great blog that contains ideas that you want to implement as a leader you might write down those ideas and the blog so you can revisit it at a later date.
• The last column is dedicated to your action plan for implementing the ideas or goals that you have. Once that idea or goal has been completed you will be able to move it to the first column on your leader ledger.

The leader ledger is a great way to track your progress as a leader and it will help as you build your leadership resume. Where can you get this leader ledger? Look for something that I will release soon that will serve as your leader ledger. In the meantime if you want to implement this idea use an excel spreadsheet so you will have an easier time moving action plan items to success column.

Innovative Ingenuity

Innovation is the final aspect of the heart of a leader. We are reviewing the five aspects of the heart of a leader as defined by Ron Edmondson. I really thought the five aspects he defined were definitely true to having the heart of a leader. Today we are on the last aspect and that is innovation.

Five Aspects of the Heart of a Leader

Are you an innovative leader? Do you find ways to do things that others hadn't thought of. Are you an outside the box thinker looking for ways to make your leadership better.

Innovation is key to great leadership because it shows you have vision to see things others don't. To be innovative though you can't just have the vision you have to be able to implement your innovation. You need to make sure you have a plan in place to make sure your innovation is completed and finalized.

What have you been innovative with? Have you come up with a new idea, process or product? Apple seems to be the innovative kings when it comes to technology, Microsoft not withstanding. Do you have Apple innovation or normal innovation? It doesn't really matter as long as you are using your innovation to further your company or yourself. Don't forget that you can also use your innovation to empower your people to be the best that they can be.

Be ingenious with your innovation and you will have another valve in the heart of a leader.

Spring has Sprung

Today in the Twin Cities it was 66 degrees today. That was a record high for this area on this day.  I am going to make this blog post my Saturday and Sunday post. With the weather so nice all of you leaders need to take some time to go and spend it outside. Take a walk, go for a drive whatever you do get out there and enjoy the weather.

Now if you live somewhere where the weather isn't cooperating then wait a day or two. Spring is a time when weather changes frequently and we have to grab a hold of those beautiful days when we can.

Enjoying the outside on these early spring days can be a great relieve from the stressful week of leadership. Today I was outside cleaning my driveway of the lake that forms from the melting snow. While I was out my son had to come out and he immediately started hitting the baseball of the tee. For a four year old he can hit it pretty hard.

Another great way to escape the stress of leadership on the weekend is to start to think about the boys of summer. Sit back and relive the sounds of baseball. For those of you fortunate enough to live in Florida or Arizona you have the luxury to visit your favorite baseball team during spring training. What a great way to enjoy the weather by listening to the crack of the lumber against the leather ball.

My advice for all of you leaders this weekend is to get outside and enjoy. Don't think about your duties as a leader just enjoy the fresh air and the sun. It will help clear your head for the busy leadership week ahead.

Intentional Leadership

We have been spending the week looking at Ron Edmondson's "Aspects of the Heart of a Leader". The fourth of five aspects is Intentionality. People can be intentional in a positive way and intentional in a negative way.

• Leaders need to be intentional in their pursuit of their dream.

Do you have a dream you are pursuing, a leadership dream? Be intentional in seeking God for clarity and focus for your dream. Pray frequently about that dream and if it is God's will for your life. Be intentional with the things you do to reach your dream.

I have a dream to be a trainer in the area of leadership. I have been intentional in the things that I have done in pursuit of that dream. I joined Toastmasters to become a better speaker and leader. I earned my MBA in leadership and I started this blog. All part of my dream to be a full time trainer.

• Leaders need to be intentional with the plan for success.

What will make you successful? You need to be intentional in the things you do by making sure they are successful things. On your path to success stop and be intentional in making successful baby steps toward your goal. Make sure your success plan is well laid out.

• Leaders need to stay the course and not get distracted.

Stay focused on the goal and don't get distracted by the side roads. Have you ever taken a trip and been driving out in the country on your way to a destination when you see a side road that looks interesting. Do you take the side road and delay your arrival at your destination. Don't be distracted by those side roads they will only distract you and take you farther away from your destination.

Have the heart of a leader and be intentional with your actions.

Investment Property

On my blog this week we are unpacking a great article on the 5 aspects of the heart of a leader. It is a blog written by Ron Edmondson. Here is a link to the original blog please check it out.

5 Aspects of the Heart of a Leader

We are looking at each aspect a little closer. Mr. Edmondson uses the story of Joseph from the old testament to show each aspect. I am expanding on those aspects and challenging you to look at your own heart to see if you do have the heart of a leader.

Today's aspect is Investment. This investment isn't an investment of money but instead is an investment of time and and investment in people. In Edmondson's blog he shows examples of how often Joseph helped people. Investment in others will make you a better person. By investing in those around you it empowers them to be successful.

Who are you investing in? Setting up a mentor/mentee relationship and sharing your wisdom and knowledge with future leaders will strengthen you as a leader. Investing in people is a trait used by servant leaders. It is my opinion that servant leadership is the ultimate leadership style. If you have the aspect of investment you are on your way to becoming a servant leader.

On your leadership journey look around and see where you are making your investments. Are you investing in people and are you investing your time as a change agent.  Make sure you are making the right investments and you will definitely have a heart of a leader.

Please share ways that you are investing your time and investing in people? Make them better and you will be better, now that is leading.

Integrity Intelligence

We have been looking at Ron Edmondson's five aspects of the heart of a leader. Yesterday we looked at imagination. Today our word is integrity. Ron Edmondson is using the story of Joseph from the old testament to show how Joseph had the heart of a leader. On my blog this week I am looking at each aspect and doing a deeper dive on each one. I really think what Ron Edmondson has presented is so true. If you want to be a true leader you need to have a heart for it these aspects truly define a leader a leader who has a heart for God and a heart for leadership.

5 Aspects of the Heart of a Leader

Integrity is defined as "a firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values". Integrity is about values it is about adhereing to those values. Be careful however because values can be good or bad. I think most of us think about values as positive and that is what we are thinking about here. Adhereing to a code of ethics that are honest and trustworthy.

A leader needs to uphold their integrity and they must also define their values as positive and live by this positive code. A leader also needs to share those values with those they lead. They want to lead by example, living by their values and living a life full of integrity.

Some leaders get the idea that just because they are a leader that they are somehow above the law. They can do what they please and there is no recourse. Those leaders are not living a life of integrity. Their values have gone awry and they need to get back on track. If those they are leading follow in their footsteps then we would have anachry and the generally accepted moral code would be thrown out the window.

Are you a leader with integrity? Do you have a heart to lead? You need imagination and integrity, are you 2 for 2? 

Expanding Your Imagination

The link I sent yesterday to Ron Edmondson's blog about the 5 aspects of the heart of a leader had five great aspects. We will spent the next five days unpacking each of those aspects to see how you can change your heart or if you have the heart to be a leader.

5 Aspects of the Heart of a Leader

Leadership isn't for the weak of heart. It is for those who have a heart for people and leading others to success. Today's aspect is Imagination.  It is the imagination to dream big and to fulfill those dreams. It is the imagination to think outside the box. The imagination to dream of ways to do things differently, use your imagination to accomplish great things. Mr. Edmondson used the story of Joseph who was a dreamer to illustrate all of the aspects. As Mr. Edmondson said Joseph saw the big picture and he also dreamed big.

Let's take it a step further. Imagination is about dreaming and dreaming big but it is also about having a vision and creating a mission to meet those dreams. Dreams are just dreams unless they can come to life. Think about those years when you were a child and you found yourself daydreaming about being the hero or traveling in space. Those were dreams and maybe some came true and some didn't. For those dreams that came true what was it that made them come true?

For me I always wanted to be a professional baseball player. That was a dream that never came true, why, because I didn't have the talent and I didn't have a vision that I was willing to work toward. On the other hand I had a dream to be a teacher and help children find success in mathematics. That was a dream that came true because I had a vision for success and I worked the plan to completion.

As a leader is there something you are dreaming about doing? Don't let it be just a dream. Dream big and create a vision and a mission for your dream and then work hard to accomplish and complete your dream. Make your dream become a reality and use your imagination to dream even bigger.

The Heart of a Leader

The weekend is over, and it is time to get back to your role as a leader. This week we are going to look at the heart of a leader. There is this great article that I would like to share that highlights the 5 aspects of the heart of a leader.

5 aspects of the heart of a leader

For the rest of the week we will unpack the five aspects of the heart of a leader.

Collections

Are you a collector? As a hobby do you love collecting things? There are many different things you can collect, it really becomes a personal preference. Collecting is also a great way to relax and escape from the busy life of a leader. It can be therapeutic to pull out your collection and look at what you have gained. There is also a joy and a pleasure in spending the weekend looking for that elusive piece to your collection.

It might be that you enjoying reading about your collection. Looking up those pieces that are very rare, those pieces that you only hope could be part of your collection, the famous Honus Wagner card, or the double eagle $6 gold piece. Whatever it is that you collect or desire in your collection try to spend some time this weekend looking at your collection and enjoying it.

I collect baseball cards even after all these years. I enjoy seeing who I get when I purchase a pack of cards. Since I am from Minnesota I always hope for the Twins. It is part of the game and thrill of collecting.

Here is a list of some things people collect. I would love to hear what it is that you collect.

• Sports Cards
• Coins
• Stamps
• Books
• Star Memorabilia
• Antiques

Enjoy the weekend with your favorite collection.

Mind versus Body

It is the weekend again. Time to focus on the leisure side of leadership. It is time to look at things you like to do that might get you away from your role as a leader.

Leadership can be a mind numbing role. It taxes your brain all week while you organize projects, create vision, lead people and serve others. When the weekend comes it might be beneficial to do things that are totally opposite from the mind work you do all week.

Are you the type of person who loves to come home and spend the weekend tinkering with machines, building things with your hands, or renovating your house. If you are you are not alone there are many people who find relaxation and relieve in doing some type of physical work with their hands. they love to burn that physical energy after spending all week in the mental exertion of leadership.

I listed a few things above that people like to do on the weekends. Personally I enjoy working with my hands on the weekend. I like cleaning and fixing things around the house because it is so different then the mental work that zaps my energy during the week.

Do you have a weekend project list of things you like to do around the house each weekend? Make the most of this weekend and burn some physical energy. Work with your hands and not your mind in so doing you will become refreshed and ready to face a new leadership week.

Legacy Summary

Over the past two weeks we have looked at some ways you can leave a leadership legacy. Today I would like to summarize the six things you can do to help you leave a positive leadership legacy.

• Vision - You must have a vision for your company, yourself and others. You need to convey the vision to others.
• Pray - Pray for yourself to be a strong leader and pray for those around you to find success and be great workers.
• Directions - Give good directions to your employees so they will find success in their jobs and they will fell confident doing a good job.
• Praise - Give praise to God for the gift of leadership. Praise those workers when they do a good job. In both cases make sure the praise is sincere.
• Show your leadership - Do this by growing future leaders. Make sure when you leave your leadership post that you leave it in good hands.
• Progress - Make progress everyday by strengthening your faith and growing with God. Also make progress by growing as a leader and encouraging your followers.

Following those six things will put you on a path to leaving a leadership legacy. I would love to see your list of the action points to take that will lead you to leaving a leadership legacy.

I hope you are enjoying my blog. If so I would love your comments.

Progress Toward Success

I have stated many times that being a leader isn't a sit back and relax role. It is one you must continue to work at and grow if you want to be successful. If you want to leave a leadership legacy then you must also continue to progress spiritually. Your faith is important to your success and the success of those around you.

Today it is your spiritual progress that we will look at. How are you progressing spiritually? There are a number of things you can do that will help you grow spiritually.

• Read God's Word - You should do this everyday
• Spend time at church learning - You should at least go once a week
• Serve - Serve in your church or at other charities. Volunteer your time and you will reap great reward.

How does this help you leave a leadership legacy? When you progress spiritually you are more fulfilled and when you are fulfilled you do a better job. Make sure you are progressing in your spiritual life.

Then if you want competent employees follow this verse with what you train and teach your employees.

Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."

If you show people the right way to do their job they will learn and do a great job. If you also give them direction in their careers they will also show progress and will be better employees.

Leave that leadership legacy by growing spiritually and training your people so they also grow. You will have a stronger organization.