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The Law of Connection

Leaders Touch A Heart Before They Ask For A Hand

You cannot move people to action unless you first move them with emotion. The heart comes before the head. The stronger the relationship and connection between individuals, the more likely the follower will want to help the leader. As a leader you develop credibility with people when you connect wit them and show that you genuinely care and want to help them. Here are eight guidelines in effectively connecting with people.

1.Connect With Yourself – You must know who you are and have confidence in yourself if you desire to connect with others

2.Communicate With Openness and Sincerity – Legendary NFL coach Bill Walsh observed, “Nothing is more effective than sincere, accurate praise and nothing is more lame than a cookie-cutter compliment.”

3.Know Your Audience – When working with individuals, knowing your audience leans learning their names, know their history, and know their hopes and dreams.

4.Live Your Message – The most important thing that you can do as a leader is to live out the message that you speak. This is where credibility comes from.

5.Go To Where They Are – Get out from behind the desk as often as you can and connect with people without a barrier between you and your audience.

6.Focus On Others, Not Yourself – Focusing on others instead of yourself is the number #1 problem of inexperienced leaders.

7.Believe In Others – It is one thing to communicate with others because you believe you have something to say. It is another matter to communicate with people because you believe they have value.

8.Offer Direction and Hope – People simply expect leaders to help them get to where they want to go.

The Law of The Inner Circle

A Leader’s Potential Is Determined by Those Closest to Him

Perhaps Mother Teresa said it best, “You can do what I cannot do and I can do what you cannot do. Together we can do great things.” Who are you attracting to your inner circle? Here are five insights on selecting inner circle members.

1.Do They They Have High Influence With Others? You want someone on your team that will have the ability to influence other people

2.Do They Bring A Complimentary Gift To The Table? Bring people into your inner circle that compliment your weaknesses.

3.Do They Hold A Strategic Position Within The Organization? Some people belong in your inner circle because of their strategic importance. These people do for you what would otherwise take twice as long for you to do. You become the Lid in your organization without them.

4.Do They Add Value To Me and The Organization? Previously we discussed the Law of Addition and how people either add, subtract, multiply or divide. The people in your inner circle must be multipliers. They should have a proven track record as an asset to the organization.

5.So They Positively Impact Other Inner Circle Members? Obviously you desire a good fit. But most of all you want your inner members to make each other better.

The Law of Empowerment

Only Secure Leaders Give Power To Others

Theodore Roosevelt once stated, “The best executive is the one who has the sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”

Leading well is not about enriching yourself – it is about empowering others! Only empowered people can reach their potential. When a leader can’t or want empower others, he is creating a barrier. Here are three significant barriers.

The Fear of Losing What We Have – We foolishly say at times, what if I work myself out of a job? The opposite is more true – if you keep raising up leaders and empowering them, you will develop a pattern of achievement.

Resistance To Change – John Steinbeck once wrote, “It is the nature of a man as he grows older to protest against change, particularly change for the better.”

Lack of Self Worth – Self-conscious people are rarely good leaders because they focus on themselves and what others think.

Admiral Stockdale declared, “Leadership must be based on goodwill….It means obvious and wholehearted commitment to helping others….What we need for leaders are individuals of heart who are so helpful they do away with the need of a job. Leaders like this are never without a job and never out of followers. Leaders gain authority by giving it away!

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