“Leaders are achievers.” Success is what they think about. It is what they do.

One of the first guys to write about leadership understood the idea of personal success. His name was Napoleon Hill and he was born in 1883.  In 1937 Hill wrote his most famous work,Think and Grow Rich.

Hill believed success was a two way street. He is credited with the following idea. “It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed.”

If you want to achieve success today, the best thing you can do is to identify someone else and help them succeed.

i2i,

Randy

What makes someone a success in your eyes?

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Yesterday while walking through the lobby of a hotel I was tempted by a sign hanging on a post near the front desk. “Wet Paint,” which is Latin for “touch with the index finger,” was irresistible to me.

I have no idea why I filter everything through the eyes of this blog, but I do. Seeing the sign stopped me in my tracks. I stood staring at the two words and was struck by how easy it would be to change “Wet Paint” to “West Point.”

Add an “S” in the right place to the word wet and switch the “A” in paint to “O” and everything changes. Suddenly you go from a sticky liquid to what some believe to be the greatest leadership institution on earth.

We all recognize there is a big difference between wet paint and West Point. However, to close the gap between the two you really only have to add one and change one.

I suspect there are similar “gap” areas in your own personal leadership environment. Areas that have you feeling despair instead of hope. The good news is, change might be closer than you think.

In fact, I’m guessing you could add one thing and change one thing and your gap would narrow in a hurry.

Add One . . . Change One. Could it be that simple?

If you need to close a gap, see for yourself. Add One, Change One is the place to start.

i2i,

Randy

What is one thing you need to add to your current leadership reality?

What is one thing you need to change?

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Noise can be the enemy of a leader. Opinions of followers, critics, and other leaders can be helpful, but they can also represent “white noise.”

At some point a leader must be dialed in to his own convictions and values.

Have you ever tried to listen to a radio station at 98.5 with the tuner set to 98.3? Sure, you can still pick up on what is happening on 98.5, but only partially. Failure to be totally “dialed in” leads to white noise.

For leaders, there are many things that cause white noise. Consider the following:

1. Listening to too many voices. While it is good to have a trusted inner circle, listening to too many people can lead to static.

2. Fear. Many leaders are paralyzed and unable to make a decision because they are afraid they will make a mistake.

3. Success. Past success can cause a leader to be over confident. Such hubris can cause one to not be fully tuned in.

4. Failure. Past mistakes can lead to a lack of confidence. Doubt creeps in and white noise ensues.

If you want to be a great leader, you must learn to eliminate “white noise.” Take some time today and “dial in to your presets.” Things will be a lot more clear if you do.

i2i,

Randy

What are some things that bring “white noise” into your leadership environment?

Comments?

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If you are serious about change, maybe its time for you to make urgency your friend.

Urgency and change go hand in hand. Unfortunately, most leaders (and people for that matter) view urgency as a bad word. They see urgency as, “I’m in a hurry. My schedule is slammed. Busy, busy, busy. Rush, rush, rush. Always on the go.”

What if you flipped the script and viewed urgency as your friend? … A weapon to help you move the needle toward change.

In his book, A Sense of Urgency, Harvard Business School professor John Kotter hints at this idea when he writes, “True urgency is driven by a deep determination to win, not anxiety about losing. With an attitude of true urgency, you try to accomplish something important each day, never leaving yourself with a heart-attack-producing task of running one thousand miles in the last week of the race.”

Time for a change? If so, add positive urgency to your arsenal and do something important … TODAY!

i2i,

Randy

Why do you think leaders resist change? 

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One of my favorite authors is, corporate poet, David Whyte. In his work, The House of Belonging, Whyte reminds his readers of the importance of being surrounded by people who bring life.

He writes, “Anything or anyone that does not bring you alive is too small for you.”

As you look at your team, is there anyone who is not bringing you life? Is there anyone on your team who would say you are not bringing life to them?

Great leaders are emotionally intelligent. They pay attention to relationships, seeking to add value to the people they lead. They also are wise enough to rid themselves of draining team members.

If you want to have a great team, it starts with people who bring each other life. Anyone who fails in that department is too small for you.  

i2i,

Randy

What type of team members bring life to you as a leader?

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