Andy is my first wife's brother. (It helped that I'm still on good terms with my first wife, and that my current wife is too!) There were two things wrong with having Andy as my salesman: 1) he had no computer background or experience (he couldn't even spell "PC"!) and 2), he lived in Phoenix, about 400 miles away. Talk about a round peg in a square hole! But… he had a great attitude; that "Whatever-it-takes-I-can-do-it-the-customer-is-always-right -and-I'll-always-treat-them-well" attitude that you just can't easily teach somebody. I figured that I could teach him about computers and my software and that attitude would be part of package.

I was right. He had to learn about sales, about mainframe computers and how programming organizations worked, he had to learn how to use a PC and how to use software that ran on it. He learned it all and did well… how? ATTITUDE. He was one of those people that you just can't help but like, and even if someone wasn't interested in our product they were always happy to hear from him. These are skills that are much harder to teach than computer and selling skills, so I was happy to invest in him.

It's time for an attitude check: yours and your employees'. Is it pushing you forward or holding you back? Think about it; it could mean difference between success and failure.

Since team members represent largest investment and most valuable asset you can have in your business, I offer following five (5) concepts that you, a leader, needs to cultivate skills to reduce ineffectiveness:

1. Plan on it. Planning is essential for putting any idea or thought into action. Effective leaders view a plan like a blueprint--they focus on essentials and don't get hung up on every detail. They leave room for changes and adjustments. They don't waste resources debating and arguing every specific of strategy and implementation.

2. Embrace technology. Granted, technology does turn on us every now and again, but its occasional bite is well worth it. Good leaders love technology. They're excited by it. They realize that it is mother of essential business tools for successful implementation in work place.

3. Try it out. Good leaders are willing to take risks. They realize that although many new ideas often fail, knowing can only come from doing.

4. Leading by example. The most effective cycle for transforming knowledge into action is hear, see, do. People learn by watching others do things right, not by being instructed how to do things by a leader who has never implemented a strategy successfully themselves.

5. Strength training. An effective leader knows and understands strengths of his or her team members and positions each to do what he or she does best.

"Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone."--Pablo Picasso

You and I really do have a part to play in world. It requires individual commitment and personal (sense of ownership) responsibility.

If not now, then when? In not you, then who?