Ready_Set_Engage

Walter Lippman when asked about leadership legacy reflected that “The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind in others the conviction and will to carry on”.

How do you measure up as a legacy leader?
1. Legacy leaders are remembered more for their interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence and their ability to quickly transform a group into a vision driven team.
2. People don’t remember the titles of legacy leaders as much as they remember credibility, influence, compassion, understanding, patience, and integrity.
3. Legacy leaders are courageous. They are willing to stand for what is right and to take risks with a quiet tenacity. They are willing to “go against the flow” to ensure that the highest standards are maintained.
4. Legacy leaders look inward before acting outward. They know their motivations, vulnerabilities, and triggers for negative emotions. They are authentic and teachable.
5. Legacy leaders know how and when to be quiet. They ask questions and take the time to research and discover all the details before forming an opinion or taking action.
6. Legacy leaders are teachers. They remember that everyone is growing. They know that each day offers opportunities for continuous improvement, not perfection, and they encourage those they lead to strive for learning.
7. Legacy leaders are approachable. They create safe environments into which others know they can bring concerns or new ideas.
8. Legacy leaders know how to balance managing by influence and managing by authority.
9. Legacy leaders are empowering. They ensure the success of those around them. They plan for and train their successors. They inspire others to stretch, grow, through support and positioning others for success.
10. Legacy leaders don’t build more followers, they build more leaders.
11. Legacy leaders are visionary. They visualize tomorrow’s possibilities, see the organizations potential and then bite size the steps to allow their people the opportunity to experience small successes on their journey to vision attainment.
12. Legacy leaders set an example of excellence not perfection.
A legacy of leadership is what stays long after you have left the position. How did you measure up?

Until next time,
Stephanie

Ready, Set, Engage Action Cards: www.TheLeaderBuilderRecommends.com

The two most destructive forces in the human mind: fear and anxiety” - So true. I also love the eloquence of Napoleon Hill, “They kill enthusiam, destroy faith, blind vision, blunt creatice effort, and dispel harmony and peace of mind”.

You think about when you hear an unknown noise, no matter how tired you are, you wake up ready for action or ready to hide under the bed. Fight, Flight or Hide.

One of the things I think is hurting the spirit of humanity right now is a combination of the common fears of loss: Loss of Money, Loss of Health and Loss of Love.

Because leaders are “human” at least the last time I checked, it is hard not be be affected by the fears that are facing your people. Can you do something today in your world that provides more financial education, health knowledge, personal development and self acceptance with the people on your team.

I know you can, you are synergistic leaders. I believe in you.

Until next time,
Stephanie

Revolutionary Professional Development System
www.SuccessInSmallBytes.com

“Doubt is a luxury we do not have right now.  You are more powerful than you realize. You will know when the time comes to act”. Mrs. Incredible

There is a scene in the movie, The Incredibles, when Mrs. Incredible must leave the children and the oldest daughter, Violet, is afraid she doesn’t have what it takes to act when she is called to.  You see in a previous scene, she needed to use her power to protect their plane from attack but all she could do was panic, or in leadership terms she was afraid to act in her strength.

The quote communicates the faith of the mother in her daughter.   It is also the communication of a leader, restoring the confidence and faith in the natural ability of their team member.  People will work harder for personal recommendation and a word of commendation where it is deserved than they will for money alone.  Your job as leader is to see that everyone has a role and that he or she recognizes the importance of that role.  And one decision not to act, does not diminish the talent.

“There is a state of mind that tends to establish rapport between minds and provides the power of attraction that gains the friendly teamwork of others. This state is enthusiasm.”  Napoleon Hill

The strength of a leader is in the ability to inspire enthusiasm in a way  that team members don’t  focus on the time when they were unable to act but instead they are waiting enthusiastically for the next opportunity to act powerfully.

In case you didn’t see the movie, The Incredibles, the next time Violet got a chance to act, her power was impenetrable.

Think about it. 

Until next time,

Stephanie

Free  E-Mentoring Program:  www.ReadySetEngage.com

Sterling
adjective- highest in quality

Sterling leaders have a unique set of qualities. What are they and how can you become a sterling leader?

1. You must passionately believe in what you want. Jack Canfield said, “If you are passionate about what it is you do then you’re going to be looking for everything you can do to get better at it.”

2. Leaders feel fear and do what needs to be done anyway. Winston Churchhill said,”Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without loosing enthusiam.” Leaders use the fear, instead of letting it use them. They know fear focuses the mind and can be turned to power. Ambrose Redmoon said,” Courage is not the absence of fear, but is rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear”

3. Leaders empower people and create co-ownership. Don’t tell people how to do things, tell them what to do; connect them with the “why” and let them surprise you with the results.

4. Leaders have a clear vision of where they want to go. Ask yourself what would move someone to take a journey that he or she doesn’t want to take? Leaders deal in hope.

5. Leaders communicate their vision. Stories are how we remember, how we learn, and how we visualize what we can be. Tell the story in it’s rich full color.

You can’t fake being a leader. If you have passion, your team has passion. If you empower, they empower. What you see in people is a reflection of you. As you grow as a leader, those around you grow.

Until next time,
Stephanie

Get your set of Ready, Set, Engage Action Cards:
www.TheLeaderBuilderRecommends.com

As an accurate thinker you must scrutinize every bit of information you encounter.” Napoleon Hill

In the days leading up to the transfer of power in our country was the meeting with President Obama, President George W. H. Bush, President George W. Bush, President Clinton and President Carter. One piece of advice that resonated with me was the advice on discerning accurate information.

As a leader, don’t look for ‘yes’ men. Look for people that will be willing to bring you the tough truth. Moreover we are responsible for asking without prejudging or leading.

The result of discerning truth and asking without preconceived thoughts on responses will result in a stronger team. You will be modeling the way for your own team of emerging leaders.

Until next time,
Stephanie

Ready, Set, Engage Action Cards
www.TheLeaderBuilderRecommends.com

One of the exciting things about doing what I do is seeing the transformation from a team of many to a team of one.

How is this possible?  When  a group of people first come together, often there is an uncertainity about whether it will all work, how it will work and what will it look like.  The rallying call becomes the centering force for the group.   As the group moves from their strengths individually to their strengths as a team, they become a team of one. 

What does it take to get to the “ONE”?  The rallying cry has to be powerful and unwavering.  And of course the leader has to know what role the team needs and step in effortlessly and effectively. 

Nothing new right?  I was reminded recently that “to know and not to do, is not to know”, what is the current temperature of your team?

Until next time,

Stephanie

Get your Ready,Set, Engage Action Cards at: www.TheLeaderBuilderRecommends.com

One of my emerging leaders is in a transition. Currently he is a manager working in a position that is not his true calling.

So what do you do when what you are doing is not the do that you want to do? (Wow, say that again fast.)

I challenged him to find his happy place. I asked him what he wanted to do? He told me. My question was if you looked at your current challenges in terms of how you would handle them if you were in your passion, what would you do different.

I could see him thinking with a twinkle in his eye that would make Santa envious.

No matter what leadership position you are in and regardless of the chaos around you, I challenge you to find your happy place. Figure out how you can operate in your zone (even in the midst of all the uncertainity).

Let me know if I can help.

Until next time,
Stephanie

Ready,Set, Engage Action Cards:
www.The LeaderBuilderRecommends.com

The old “employment contract” is gone, and employees aren’t
guaranteed lifetime employment anymore.  They are responsible for
managing their careers.  As a leader, it is a good business
strategy to help them. Helping your staff in unconventional ways
builds trust and loyalty and makes for wiser, more efficient team
members.  Here are some strategies to help you cultivate trust and
loyalty.

-Have a “Reading Meeting”. Assign each of your staff a different
industry-related trade publication.  Once a week, get your team
together and ask employees to relate any interesting stories,
trends, or products they discovered in their reading.

-Provide in-house seminars.  Staff members can benefit from
learning how a business is run:  basic accounting skills, financial
forecasting, budgeting, and so on.  Use the experts in your company
as resources to conduct the seminars.

-Be a “mentor headhunter”.  You can’t mentor everyone; but you can
help your staff find mentors either within the company or through
other networks.  Use your influence and standing to reach out to
other business leaders.
 
Take action, remember, you get what you focus on.  When you focus
on cultivating trust and loyalty you will reap the rewards.

Until next time,
Stephanie
 

Tools for Emerging Leaders: www.TheLeaderBuilderRecommends.com

Focusing on the customer without connecting your people to profit
is doing business on borrowed time. The experience you provide your
team equips them with emotional leverage to inspire loyal
customers.
- Engagement affects attitude
- Team attitudes affect customer attitudes
- Customer attitudes affect financial performance
- All businesses are in the people business

People want to know what you believe and what makes them valuable
to the cause. Get the absolutes off the wall and help them live
it. Tell team members:
When you do __________
you contribute __________ to the bottom line
and that supports our core belief ____________.

Employees don’t leave companies; they leave relationships and
uncertainty. Anchor your team in the certainty of knowing and
believing. Grounded in clarity, the team can deal with difficult
customer situations or changes in the organizational direction. Get
the absolutes off the wall and into their hearts.

Until Next Time,
Stephanie

P.S. Expand your leadership brand
www.TheLeaderBuilderRecommends.com

It’s Friday afternoon… Your major client has an issue and is
demanding it be resolved by the close of business. Or you have a
major promotion or event in two days and the attendee information
is in chaos. You pull together the team. What will be the team
response?  What is the process?

Many teams fail to get desired results because they don’t have
documented processes. You can determine the strength of a process
when you look at the time and stress it takes to get to resolution
in a ‘crisis’ using your process.

Successful teams and sucessful people have efficient processes.

Just because a process is not optimized does not mean it’s not
a process. For example, how are your staff meetings conducted? Do
you have an agenda or “free for all”? 

How do you follow-up with clients? How do you communicate product
benefits to your clients? Your sales success hinges on how well you
have mastered the process of matching benefits to needs and
communicating them to your client.

High performance teams have processes at work in three key areas:
decision-making, client communication and problem solving.

To your success and abundance,

Stephanie

P.S. Tools for the Leader in You

Click here to Quick Start Brand You

Click here to Quick Start Your Keep In Touch Strategy