An important part of success in life is the ability to lead. Not only others but also ourselves. Too often we believe a leader should look and sound a certain way and too rarely do we observe their actions – the true test of leadership. Successful leaders focus on actions rather than appearances. The title of this article refers to eight tips, but rather think of these as principles to apply on a regular basis.
1. Be open to new opportunities. “Reality” is not absolute but rather subject to constant change. Think about inventors, explorers, and agents of social change who have achieved greatness. Some might simply say that certain people are successful because they are lucky to be in the right place at the right time. Maybe so, but if they hadn’t opened their eyes to the opportunity, it wouldn’t have mattered if they were in the right place.
2. Take inspiration from wherever it may come from; even your opponents. The wisest leaders constantly study their competition. In war, politics, and business we see many examples of this. If you want to be a leader of positive change, don’t fall victim to only focusing on weaknesses to exploit. Instead, if you find a weakness, avoid that pitfall yourself. If you find a strength, find a way to strengthen your own skills and qualities to match it.
3. Learn something new every day. Continuously seek to expand your horizons, internally and externally. Feed your mind with new knowledge, but expand your social horizons as well. Seek out and meet new people and immerse yourself in new social situations. You never know when those new experiences will help you in your leadership role. Stray from the traditional paths of knowledge. Don’t simply read books on the bestsellers list. Take seminars rather than classes as there is often more room for questioning and debate. Seek out unconventional thinkers, teachers, and writers.
4. Improvise if no existing solutions are available. No excuses. Nothing is impossible. Necessity is the mother of invention. How do you know it won’t work if you’ve never tried it? Look at your problem from all angles and systematically try different solutions, in various combinations until you find the solution.
5. Make at least one person’s day every day. If you make it a point to be thoughtful and caring towards one person every day then soon this thoughtful, caring behavior will become a habit and that habit will spread to others around you. Making someone else happy also feeds your own personal happiness. Just imagine how much better the world would be if we all did a little bit more to spread happiness.
6. Offer help, even if there’s no apparent advantage to you. This means more than writing a check. It means giving of yourself, your time, and your energy. Sometimes it will mean helping a stranger and sometimes a very personal act.
7. Don’t end anything on a negative note. If your final words are negative, no matter how hopeful you may be about the potential of a project or action, the lasting impression you give to others will be one of negativity. Accentuate the positive and you are more likely to see a positive outcome.
If you follow these seven principles not only you will be a better leader but also lead yourself to a more successful life.
Authentic Entrepreneur 