Structure

#Beingaleader means you have to provide your team with structure. Parameters. Direction. How else are you able to define success for them? How else can you achieve the goals of the team? You don't want to micromanage them but you should provide the expectations and the guardrails for what you are looking for. It is … Continue reading Structure →

Sacrifice

#Beingaleader means you need to understand and practice sacrifice. In order to begin to understand what sacrifice is you need to only look back 78 years to those brave young men storming the beaches of Normandy. Scared out of their minds but doing their assigned jobs anyway. Fearful but fearless all in one. Not perfect. … Continue reading Sacrifice →

Honesty

#Beingaleader means you need to lead with honesty. Honesty can be defined as having fairness and frankness. Fairness is the way we want to be treated and frankness is when you are clear in your communication. Honesty means you need to be fair. Fair to your team. Fair to your clients. Fair to yourself. To … Continue reading Honesty →

Toxic

#Beingaleader means you need to avoid being toxic to others and to help weed out those within your organization that are toxic to yourself or others. They will bring you and your organization down over time. They will create attrition and provide a reputation in the marketplace that you do not want and will drive … Continue reading Toxic →

The Point

#Beingaleader means you have to get to the point. Be direct. Say what you mean. Your expectations. Your evaluation of them or their progress. Clearly. Concisely. Using examples when needed but not telling a story without getting to the punchline. You are not helping others by beating around the bush. It is not kindness to … Continue reading The Point →

Refresh

#Beingaleader means you need to take time to refresh every so often. To recharge. To take stock. To give yourself new strength or to invigorate yourself for the next tasks or phase of life that are ahead of you. To do whatever it takes to prevent burnout and disillusionment. A sabbatical. A vacation. A weekend … Continue reading Refresh →

Decision-Making

#Beingaleader means you need to have a good decision-making paradigm. How do you make decisions? What's the criteria you look at? Granted, many decisions you make during the day may not be extremely significant. They might just be decisions that need to be made in order to keep the project going. Oftentimes, people are paralyzed … Continue reading Decision-Making →

Alone

#Beingaleader means you often have to stand alone. At least at first. Your job is often to inspire others to join you but it presupposes that you are alone at the beginning. The idea is yours. The stance is yours. The product or service is yours. Alone. Are you willing to stand alone? To press … Continue reading Alone →

Balance

#Beingaleader means you need to find balance. In your work. In your family. In your life. We each have so many different things pulling at us, our time, our thoughts, our energy. Balance can be defined as an even distribution of weight or having something in equal proportions. However, I think you can be balanced … Continue reading Balance →

Time

#Beingaleader means you have to be concerned about time. Having enough. Using it wisely. Prioritizing. Deciding who gets it. And, by necessity, who doesn't. How much thought you give to one thing vs. another. Time. It's all about how you spend it. Allocation of time is one of the most important things you do as … Continue reading Time →

Tools

#Beingaleader means you need to learn to use tools. Technical tools. Software. Messaging. Keyboards. Calendars. The things that help make keeping you organized a possibility. Now, many of the younger generation don't even think twice about this. They likely don't even know what life would be like without those tools. They are ingrained into their … Continue reading Tools →

Dreams

#Beingaleader means you should have dreams. Dreams about the future you are trying to create. Dreaming is defined as a cherished aspiration, ambition, or ideal. Thinking about (consciously and unconsciously) how to improve things. For yourself. For your family or team. For the greater good. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream that he outlined … Continue reading Dreams →

Persistence

#Beingaleader means you need persistence. Persistence is defined as the obstinate continuation in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition. That's an interesting combination of words. Persistence and obstinate in the same sentence. Obstinate can be a stubbornness on the part of a leader to not change course even in the face … Continue reading Persistence →

Problem Solver

#Beingaleader means you have to be a problem solver. It can be personnel issues. HR issues. Cost issues. Satisfaction issues from internal or external sources. All of these will eventually land on your desk at some point as a leader. And what are you expected to do with these problems? Solve them. Everyone has them. … Continue reading Problem Solver →

Building

#Beingaleader means you need to always be building. Building on the past. Building for the future. Building on what you have to work with. Skills. People. Experiences. Continuing to grow your building blocks. Building on your past includes all of the things you've experienced this past year: the good and the bad. The easy and … Continue reading Building →

Peace

#Beingaleader means you need to choose peace. Note that I didn't say 'have a peaceful circumstance'. Peace is less about the circumstances you find yourself in. But rather, peace is a state of mind. A place of being. The place you should want to live your real life. Less about the absence of conflict and … Continue reading Peace →

Joy

#Beingaleader means you need to have joy. Joy in what you do. Joy in who you do it with. Joy about the future and the impact you are having. Many people when they see or hear the word "joy" equate it to happiness. The problem is that happiness is an emotion based upon the circumstances … Continue reading Joy →

Love

#Beingaleader means you need to love. What you do. Who you do it with. The goals you are trying to reach. It is outward focused. I have previously written on "Love" but from a parenting perspective towards your family https://beingaleader.blog/2019/06/04/its-love-stupid/. However, today the focus is on those you work with. Today is the 80th Anniversary … Continue reading Love →

Hope

#Beingaleader means you need to have hope. Hope for yourself. Hope for your team. Hope for the future. Not hope in. Hope for. Hope is placed on something or someone outside of yourself and your circumstance that you can know is going to change everything. Hope is more than being positive about life or the … Continue reading Hope →

Thankful

#Beingaleader means you need to be thankful. Thankful for others. Thankful for your team's successes. Thankful for the things that brought you to where you are today. Even the hard things. And train others to do the same. Being thankful is being "conscious of benefits received." So the most important step is to be conscious … Continue reading Thankful →

Steady

#Beingaleader means you need to be a steady leader. A steady person. Steady means you are consistent but it is more than just consistent. Steady means you are a rock during a tempest. Steady means you will always be there. That you don't run from a fight. That while others go up and down with … Continue reading Steady →

Patience

#Beingaleader means you have to exhibit patience. Patience is defined as more than waiting (https://beingaleader.blog/2021/02/02/waiting/). Patience is more what you do with the waiting. It is defined as 'the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.' So, while many people might be okay with waiting, they aren't very … Continue reading Patience →

Seasons

#Beingaleader means you need to understand the seasons. Seasons in your leadership. Start up energy. Sustainment. Longevity. Expertise. Training others. Passing it along to others. There are many different seasons in your leadership life. Sometimes you repeat seasons (new adventures etc.) But over the long haul of your leadership life you move from that energetic … Continue reading Seasons →

Spending

#Beingaleader means you need to understand the importance of spending. Specifically, money. Spending to make things happen that need to happen. Spending to procure the right talent. Spending to make progress on your project. Too many leaders are spendthrifts and therefore not wise with money. Read that again. How can it be wrong to save … Continue reading Spending →

Team

#Beingaleader means you have a team. Not just followers. A team. I did a quick search of my previous blogs and found that I have mentioned "team" over 20 times and "followers" only 3 times. That's one indication that shows the importance of team. But I haven't specifically talked about having a team and why … Continue reading Team →

“Good” Leader

#Beingaleader means you should want to be a "good" leader. But how is "good" defined and how do you achieve it? So and so is a "good" leader. What do you mean by that? Is it their character? Personality? How they treat others? Skill set? Compassion? Attitude? Yes to all. Someone can be an effective … Continue reading “Good” Leader →

Power

Whether you like it or not, #Beingaleader means you wield some power. From your position. From your followers. From your experience. Even from your presence. How you use that power will determine what kind of leader you will be and how worthy you are of those followers. Power is an interesting thing. There is an … Continue reading Power →

Birth

#Beingaleader means you need to give birth. To new ideas. To new projects. But most importantly to new leaders. #Beingaleader means you need to be birthing and growing new leaders. Do not let the knowledge, experiences and lessons you have learned be lost when you are gone. Pass them on. Birth new leaders. In your … Continue reading Birth →

Frustration

#Beingaleader means you can feel a lot of frustration. At yourself. At others. At circumstances. At the inability to do things better or change an outcome. It's just frustrating how some people act or don't learn or don't care. Frustration. So how do you deal with frustration? Do you let it consume you? Do you … Continue reading Frustration →

ROI

#Beingaleader means you seek ROI (Return on Investment). ROI is usually calculated as the difference between your initial investment and your end result. Your return. What came back to you as a result of what you sent out. True with money and other financial situations. True also with leadership. So what is ROI in leadership … Continue reading ROI →

Satisfied

#Beingaleader means you have times where you are satisfied. Where you are at. Where the team is at. With life. Satisfied. Yes it's important to keep striving. Yes it's important to keep pushing. But if you never stop and let yourself be satisfied with where you're currently at, then what are you pursuing? Is it … Continue reading Satisfied →

Baggage

#Beingaleader means you have to deal with baggage. Sometimes your own. Sometimes others'. Either way you need to know how to deal with it or get rid of it before it drags you down. What does your baggage look like? Is it emotional? Bad experiences? Each one of us is a compilation of experiences, good … Continue reading Baggage →

Title

#Beingaleader does not mean you will always have a title. Nor should you think that having such a title means that you are a leader. Nor should it be your goal. A title is bestowed. Leadership is learned and earned. Being named CEO doesn't make you a leader. Nor does Group Leader, Doctor, Colonel, Pastor, … Continue reading Title →

Generous

#Beingaleader means you need to be generous. With your time. With your money. With your praise. So what does being generous with your time mean? It means giving of yourself whenever possible to help others achieve their goals or the goals of the team. It means you show up when the team shows up. It … Continue reading Generous →

Re-Think

#Beingaleader means you have to re-think things all the time. Look at situations from new angles. Allow your mind to imagine things that aren't there yet. Re-imagine. Re-tool. Be careful about getting stuck in the 'right' way of thinking (i.e., your way). Allow yourself time and space to re-think things. This takes time set aside … Continue reading Re-Think →

Bully

#Beingaleader means you are not a bully. You cannot be a bully and still be a true leader. A bully is defined as someone who uses fear and intimidation to get their way. Whether through shouting or threats or other forms. I'm less interested in whether you've experienced this (I have) but rather whether you … Continue reading Bully →

Healthy

#Beingaleader means you need to stay healthy. In your mindset. In your relationships. And in your environment. #Beingaleader means you need to stay healthy in your mindset. Your attitude or mindset is so critically important that you must protect it from anything that would try to get you down. The keys to being successful in … Continue reading Healthy →

Juggling

#Beingaleader means you have to juggle. Spin a lot of plates. Multi-task. The key is to keep your focus while all around you is spinning furiously. Whether parenting or running a business or leading a project. You are seemingly never able to focus on just one thing at a time. How do you maintain you … Continue reading Juggling →

Repeat. Repeat.

#Beingaleader means you have to repeat yourself. Often. What that means is you have to repeat yourself. Often. Your team is unlikely to get it the first time. Or the second. Or perhaps even the third time. You have to repeat yourself. Often. It's because #Beingaleader involves a lot of communication. Communication is fraught with … Continue reading Repeat. Repeat. →

Compliment

#Beingaleader means you need to learn to compliment others. Compliments that focus on success. Compliments that are frequent. And ones that are done intentionally. #Beingaleader means that your compliments should focus on success. The success of your team member or your child. Everyone seems to receive an abundance of negative feedback whether intentional or unintentional. … Continue reading Compliment →

Challenge

#Beingaleader means you have to challenge your team. To see things they can't see. To achieve more than they think possible. To help them win when it seems impossible. #Beingaleader means you need to challenge your team to see things they can't see. You are the one seeing the vision. Oftentimes you can challenge your … Continue reading Challenge →

Virtual

#Beingaleader in today's world means you have to lead virtually. Zoom. Email. Focused on the task but also building the culture you want. In the cloud. "Seeing" them but not really. Working on the tone of your emails to stop or at least not start, misunderstandings. #Beingaleader means you have to learn to lead virtually. … Continue reading Virtual →

Safe

#Beingaleader means you need to make your team feel safe. That sense of trust in your judgment. In the "ok-ness" of making mistakes. And the celebration of success. #Beingaleader means that your team needs to feel safe in your judgment. Do you have a track record of making right decisions? Does your team trust that … Continue reading Safe →

Show Up

#Beingaleader means you need to show up. Physically. Emotionally. And for them. #Beingaleader means you need to show up physically. People need to see you. To see what you value. To encourage them to show up as well. To set the standard. Whatever you want to call it, it means that you can't hide for … Continue reading Show Up →

Burnout

#Beingaleader means at some point you may come fact to face with the possibility of burnout. Exhausted. At the brink. Not wanting to keep going. Today's topic is not so much about how to deal with burnout once it happens but rather how to avoid burnout in the first place. Today we will focus on … Continue reading Burnout →

Waiting

#Beingaleader means you need to get good at waiting. Waiting on others. Waiting for movement. Waiting for success. But not just waiting in an idle sense. Active waiting is what's called for. Waiting on the results but actively moving towards your goal. #Beingaleader means you need to get good at waiting on others. To complete … Continue reading Waiting →

Restraint

#Beingaleader means you sometimes have to show restraint to your team. Restraint of words. Restraint of emotion. Restraint of self. #Beingaleader means you need to restrain your words. Just because you think it doesn't mean you should say it. Too many words are said out of emotion whether verbally or in an email. Some say … Continue reading Restraint →

Control

#Beingaleader does not mean you are in control. Control is an illusion. If you think otherwise, you are probably delusional. And you probably have less control than you think. You can't control your team, your project's outcome or how people react to you. #Beingaleader does not mean you can control your team. You can do … Continue reading Control →

New Day

#Beingaleader means you need to take opportunities for starting over. For a new day. Whether it's the beginning of a new project, the start of a new team, or the beginning of a new year. It's fresh. And full of opportunities. What's it like to start with a new canvas? A clean slate? The key … Continue reading New Day →

Quickness

#Beingaleader means you need a level of quickness. Quickness of decision-making, of movement, of thought. #Beingaleader means you need to have quickness of decision-making. Life is fast. #Beingaleader only picks up the pace. You cannot afford to agonize over every decision. Analysis paralysis is a real thing. And it is incompatible with #Beingaleader. The more … Continue reading Quickness →