Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:27 — 27.0MB) | Embed

THE LAW OF THE LID

Leadership ability is the lid that determines a person’s level of effectiveness. The lower an individual’s ability to lead, the lower the lid of potential. The higher the individual’s ability to lead, the higher the lid on his potential.

I believe that success is within the reach of just about everyone. But I also believe that personal success without leadership ability brings limited effectiveness. Without leadership ability, a person’s impact is only a fraction of what it could be with good leadership. The higher you want to climb, the more you need leadership. The greater the impact you want to make, the greater your influence needs to be.

Leadership ability is always the lid on personal and organizational effectiveness. Personal and organizational effectiveness is proportionate to the strength of the leader. Things you can do to raise your lid

1. Value experience with reflection

2. Invest in training

3. Mentorship/Coaching

4. Mastermind/Focus

5. Do something beyond yourself

6. Reflect on who has been a lid lifter in your life. What characteristics make them a lid lifter?

7. Make a “STOP DOING” list

The Law of Influence

The True Measure of Leadership Is Influence – Nothing More, Nothing Less. If you do not have influence you will never be able to lead others. True leadership cannot be awarded, appointed, or assigned. It comes only from influence and that cannot be mandated. It must be earned. The only thing that a title can do it to buy a little time. Either to increase your level of influence with others or to undermine it. I want to offer seven (7) factors that comprise effective leaders.

Character – True leadership always begins with the inner person.

Relationships – You are a leader only if you have followers, and that requires that you develop relationships.

Knowledge – You must grasp the facts, understand the dynamic factors and a timing, and a vision for the future.

Intuition – Leaders seek to recognize and influence intangibles such as energy, morale, timing, and momentum.

Experience – Experience doesn’t guarantee credibility, but it encourages people to give you a chance to prove that you are capable.

Past Success – Nothing speaks to followers like a good track record.

Ability – The bottom line for followers is what a leader is capable of.

Psychologist Harry Ovestreet observed that the very essence of all power to influence lies in getting the other person to participate.

The Law of Process

Leadership Develops Daily, Not In A Day

In a study of ninety top leaders, Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus discovered a relationship between growth and leadership. They wrote, “It is the capacity to develop and improve their skills that distinguishes leaders from their followers.” Simply stated, leaders are learners. The learning process is ongoing as a result of self-discipline and perseverance. The key problem is that most people overestimate the importance of events and underestimate the power of the process. We live in an era of instant gratification. Here is a five (5) phase process of leadership growth.

1. I Don’t Know What i Don’t Know – As long as a person doesn’t know what he doesn’t know he isn’t going to grow.
2. I Know That I Need to Know – Benjamin Disraeli stated, “To be conscious that you are ignorant of the facts is a great step to knowledge.
3. I Know What I Don’t Know – The million dollar question is, “Can you put in writing your personal growth plan?”
4. I Know and Grow, and It Starts To Show – When you begin daily discipline of personal growth, exciting things start to happen. It has been said that the secret of success in life is for a person to be ready for their time when it comes.
5. I Simply Go Because of What I Know – It during this phase that your leading becomes almost automatic. You must be willing to pay the process of daily preparation for this to become reflexive.

LINKS

Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast is now on iTunes – SUBSCRIBE

Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast is now on Stitcher – SUBSCRIBE

FREE GIFT – “The Art of Balancing Candor With Care” – Click on the icon at the bottom of the page

Executive Coaching Service– Private message me for details on this customizable service

Music: “Gratitude Mood” by David Arivett. You can learn more about his music by clicking on his name. THANKS DAVID!