The Leadership Imperative: Making Your Leadership Your Life

Written by Brent Filson


PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided torepparttar author, and it appears withrepparttar 137036 included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com

Word count: 468

Summary: The author describes a vision of leadership that you can use throughout your career. It's a vision that will also help enrich your life.

The Leadership Imperative: Making Your Leadership Your Life by Brent Filson

Nearly all leaders I've encountered are underachievers. They're getting a fraction ofrepparttar 137037 results they are capable of. And in most cases, it's their fault. Their failures arerepparttar 137038 result ofrepparttar 137039 choices they make. Forrepparttar 137040 opportunities to consistently get more results are all around them allrepparttar 137041 time, theirs forrepparttar 137042 taking.

For instance, to start getting more results than you are accustomed to getting, you simply have to change your mind-set. You should aim to make your leadership your life and your life your leadership. If you don't, you diminish both your leadership and your life.

To haverepparttar 137043 change in mind-set really sink in so it changes you in a deep, fundamental way, you must cultivate two dynamics: a vision ofrepparttar 137044 purpose of your leadership, andrepparttar 137045 dedication to realize that purpose.

The word "vision" has been used and misused ad nauseam. The trouble is that most leaders misunderstand it. When they think "vision", they look at themselves, at what they can do for themselves. To do well for yourself, an inward focus isrepparttar 137046 wrong place to look.

Character: Is It Necessary In Leadership? (Part Two)

Written by Brent Filson


PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided torepparttar author, and it appears withrepparttar 136917 included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com

Word count: 838

Summary: One element of leadership that many leaders ignore or neglect is character. Is it a necessary ingredient in leadership? The author answersrepparttar 136918 question withrepparttar 136919 challenging observation that character can actually drive leadership results.

Character: Is It Necessary In Leadership? (Part Two) By Brent Filson

Inrepparttar 136920 first part of this two part article, I talked aboutrepparttar 136921 importance of character in leadership. After all,repparttar 136922 best leadership involvesrepparttar 136923 people bonding withrepparttar 136924 leader in deep, human, emotional ways. The passive way of looking at character is thatrepparttar 136925 bonding won't happen ifrepparttar 136926 people are confused about or disdain your character. But there is also an active way of looking at character: You can use aspects of your character to actually promote results. Your best character traits can be turned results-multipliers. Here's how.

Byrepparttar 136927 way,repparttar 136928 results I'm talking about don't necessarily have to be organizational results. Many leaders have used my processes in their lives outside their organizations, with teenagers or with their spouses, for example, and not simply as a "leadership" process. Who you are as a leader should be intertwined with who you are as a person. If your leadership is not your life, you diminish both your leadership and your life.

To begin with, select any one ofrepparttar 136929 character traits you identified in Part One. We will focus on ways to use that trait to get increases in results, however you define those results.

For example,repparttar 136930 trait "always ready to forgive" can be a results driver, because it enables you to clearrepparttar 136931 air withrepparttar 136932 people you need to help you get results. After all, if you're always ready to forgive slights and perceived slights, you avoid blame shifting and finger pointing — both impediments to organizational results.

Epictetus (AD 55–135), another stoic philosopher, said, "Small-minded people habitually reproach each other for their own misfortunes. … Those who are dedicated to a life of wisdom understand thatrepparttar 136933 impulse to blame someone or something is foolishness. … The more we examine our attitudes and work on ourselves,repparttar 136934 less we are apt to be swept away by stormy emotional reactions in which we seek easy explanations for unbidden events."

Although one's relationships in leadership are predicated on results,repparttar 136935 most effective results-producing relationships arise when these relationships ultimately have nothing to do with results, when people respond to you not just as a leader but simply and profoundly as a human being.

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