People do not follow leaders who are not committed and responsible. Commitment and responsibility can be measured by hours you spend and how you spend them, money you spend and how you spend it, and by what you do for others. Spend 15 minutes each day analyzing your time, your checkbook, and your volunteer work. Look closely at how much time you spend with family and friends as compared to work, how you spend your money, and how you give back to community. You may be very surprised at what you find.

7. Develop a positive attitude by altering your mind.

It is very possible to alter your attitude by altering your mind. Saturate yourself daily with motivational literature, positive people, and inspiring music/art. By conditioning your mind to be more positive on a daily basis, you will find that winning will be a daily reward of your life.

8. Accept responsibility.

Great leaders never play role of a victim. They recognize that part of being a great leader is being ultimately responsible for all successes and failures. On a daily basis, analyze your current projects, and ask yourself "Have I done all that needs to be done? What have I not done that I should?" Once you have analyzed each project, if you find a weakness, go extra mile by working extra hours, hiring an outside expert, or getting really creative to repair weakness or to turn it into a success!

9. Make self-discipline a part of your lifestyle.

What do you need to develop self-discipline? Following a better diet or exercise routine? Getting up one hour earlier? Being rigorous with your spending? Learning something new every day? Eliminate excuse-making from your life, and begin to develop habits that will invite self-discipline to become foundation of your life. Hire a coach to support you during development of a routine of self-discipline, and remove rewards until job is done!

10. Develop courage by facing fear.

By a show of courage, you will inspire others to follow and to walk in your footsteps. Spend 15-30 minutes each day doing something simply for sake of developing courage: speak to an audience, make a difficult phone call, learn a new skill, write an article or a top ten, or visit someone you have always wanted to meet. As Eleanor Roosevelt acknowledged: "You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take next thing that comes along.' You must do thing you think you cannot do."

6. Use a headset.

Talking on phone for a few hours a day can be draining for even heartiest of entrepreneurs. Headsets allow increased productivity, as they can free up your hands and allow you to think more creatively while roaming around during a telephone conversation.

7. Turn invoices into a marketing communication tool.

On your invoices, add computer-generated messages that promote upcoming events, new products or services, or seasonal specials and announcements. This one act can enable your customers to understand more about your company and how they can effectively do business with you.

8. Do your homework!

Before you can do business with someone, it is crucial to know his or her business inside and out. Turn to internet, library, or call company directly to dig for information about company or industry. You will be much better prepared to meet needs of a prospective client by conducting thorough research in advance.

9. Polish your presentation skills.

Even if you have most sophisticated technology, you cannot make a sale if you have not polished your presentation skills. Tips: Stay loose, stand or sit solidly (not stiff), connect with your audience by using terms they understand, and share your passion. Your enthusiasm, excitement, and energy can make or break a presentation.

10. Be dedicated to learning.

If you are learning, you are growing. Hit books, go back to school, and surround yourself with people who are "in know." You are never too old to learn new things, which can translate into better business, effective management techniques, and innovation.