Mark S. Brown

Very seldom in life are you in a neutral position. You are either moving forward or slipping backward. You are either climbing up or falling down. The same with the support you provide for your team. Either you are an obstacle or you are removing obstacles.

I remember a community service Saturday where I joined a group of people that were cleaning up and planting the landscape at a public school. One person stood on the sidelines, watching, waiting not really helping. After a bit, I brought the person a shovel, directed him on how he could help, and he jumped in and started working.

Before he started working, even though he was not in the way, he changed the dynamic of the group. Once he started working, the team functioned together better, as a group.

I am sure no one viewed either of us an obstacle that day. But in reality, he had an obstacle that prevented him from getting started. If I had not helped remove it, eventually it would have been apparent as an obstacle. In this situation, if I had been the leader, maybe I also would have been viewed as an obstacle in the path of success.

You can decide today to work on eliminating obstacles. Take an inventory of your projects, and your team. You will find some actions that will help you move forward.

 

There are four common reasons why people fail, and all are the fault of leadership. According to Coaching for Improved Work Performance by F.F. Fournies, people fail because:

1. They do not know what they are supposed to do
2. They don’t know how to do it
3. They do not know why they should do it
4. They have obstacles that are beyond their control.

If your team is not living up to its potential, then here are four area you can check. As a leader you should be helping them.

1. Teach them what they need to do
2. Train them how to do it
3.  Explain why it is important
4. Remove obstacles in their path

At first glance, it does not seem very difficult. However, most of us get involved with aspects of our job other than serving those that work for us. Stay in touch and be the servant leader that they need you to be.

 

Mary Beth Cahill-Phillips sad, “There are no shortages of opportunities for people to do great things.” The opportunities exist, and the choice is up to us. We read stories about people that do extraordinary things every week. There are people that create value in business; people that lead organizations; people that develop other people; people that are focused on their passion, their purpose, their plan.

How are you living to be successful in your life? Do you have the right focus? Are your actions aligned with your goals?

Some of you may be able to answer yes. Some of you may be saying, “I have not yet discovered my passion.” Some of you are probably stuck in a routine that is keeping you on pace with the same results as last year.

Here is something I discovered. Understanding your passion, purpose and plan is a dynamic process. It is not a one time event. If you are waiting for a bolt of lightning to deliver you inspiration, it is not going to happen.

I am not passionate about the same things today, as I was passionate about 20 years ago. My purpose today is different because it has evolved. I cannot write down a plan, and not review it, modify it, grow it at least every year. We change, and our vision of the future is a dynamic entity.

If you have not created or revised your plan in the last twelve months, do it this weekend. Set aside time to reflect, dream, grow, and focus. Put your plan on paper, and then begin to align yourself to acheive.

 

A leader’s greatest challenge is leading himself. People will not follow someone that cannot lead their own life. If you wish to strengthen your leadership, strengthen yourself. Here are three keys areas where your focus can have a visible impact to those around you.

1. Energy: You will be more successful if you are energized. Energy can be increased by many factors. Your health, your fitness, and your ability to sleep will increase your energy level. Your energy is also reflected in your passion, your vision, and your actions. All you fully energized to be successful?

2. Attitude: It is no secret that being positive will greatly affect your results. If you feel defeated before you start a project, the chances are good that you will fail. Your attitude is always visible. If you work to make it more positive, it will make your team, and your environment more positive.

3. Values: Most of us can list the values that we believe in, honesty, courage, respectfulness, integrity, etc. But think about how you live your values. Are they front and center in everything you do? People need to see that you live your values, not just being able to list them.