I talk with a lot of coaches and business owners that complain about problems. Problems with non-compliant athletes. Problems with whiny clients who aren’t getting results. Problems with staff that won’t follow directions. Problems with their own lack of results in business and work/life balance.

Listen, problems are normal part of growth in every area of life. Without them, how the heck would you be challenged to grow or learn anything at all? You wouldn’t! So, the key in moving forward then is the solution you choose to focus on in evolving things to a better place.

Most folks want to focus on everyone else around them. It’s much easier to point fingers and blame everyone else for things going wrong. “Why won’t they just LISTEN to me?” is a typical question I hear over and over again. Well, the real answer is it’s very difficult (if not impossible) to get someone to do something they don’t want to do. You might be able to accomplish that for a very short period of time with extreme supervision and micro-management. But frankly, that’s exhausting and not much fun for anyone involved. To improve those around you must become a better leader.

What is Leadership?

Before we talk about leadership, it’s important that we define it. In the business world, most people confuse leadership with management. It is not. They are two VERY different skill sets. The best definition I’ve ever found comes from US Army Field Manual 22-100: “Leadership is influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation while operating to accomplish the mission and improving the organization.”

Why is Leadership important?

Leadership is the highest quality you can obtain in your development, and becoming a better leader allows you to grow far beyond what you could ever accomplish alone. But the path to becoming a good leader is not an easy one, and it is not a part time job. Leadership is a 24/7/365 responsibility. It requires your commitment to consistent work on your personal development.

EIGHT LEADERSHIP FUNDAMENTALS

Here are eight fundamentals we teach our clients to help them grow in their leadership skills. If you did nothing else than print out this list, and reflect on it each day, you would become a better leader for it.

1. Set The Example (appearance, actions)

If you want to ask someone to show discipline in his or her behavior, you better demonstrate discipline in your own. You don’t have to be the best athlete in your gym to be the coach--that’s a silly and childish thought. But you damn sure better walk the walk in terms of the discipline and commitment you display toward your work if you want others to do the same. Look the part and demonstrate with your actions. Remember, you can say anything you want to, but our behavior never lies.

2. Communicate (up and down)

As a coach or business owner, you understand more than those around you. You have more knowledge, and you have more experience. But we forget that other folks don’t live in our head, and they don’t know what we’re thinking unless we communicate it to them. I’m talking about both up and down the chain of command, and up the chain of command may mean your partner or spouse at home! People can’t understand you unless you communicate with them often and regularly about what’s on your mind.

3. Continuous Improvement

Organizations and people are always evolving. Nothing stays the same. Therefore, you’re either improving or you’re sliding backward. Sure, there will be a natural ebb and flow of the tide, but overall you must commit yourself to constant, steady improvement. Think of the Eastern concepts of mastery. It is not a hobby to hit a goal and then move on. Mastery is about lifetime commitment to the process of improvement, and loving the journey every step of the way.

4. Make Informed Decisions

Life (and business) moves fast, and it’s easy to want to respond and make quick decisions. Heck, being decisive and having the ability to make quick decisions is a tremendous asset, and a requirement for being a good leader. But you must also be patient with making informed decisions. Don’t allow your emotions to control your behavior in reacting to a situation. Take your time, even when it’s uncomfortable, to gather all the facts before making a decision that will impact things for a long time to come.

5. Speak From The Heart

We are all born with a BS detector, and when someone is shoveling it to us we can smell it from a mile away. Don’t be that person. Speak from your heart -- even when it’s tough and hurts. When you open yourself up to doing that, you’ll never regret your words.

6. Develop Trust

For others to follow you, they must trust you. And trust is earned. You must consistently demonstrate that you are trustworthy. Only then can you be given trust by those around you. It is theirs and theirs alone to give.

7. Learn From Your Experience

One thing is certain; we all make mistakes. We make decisions that don’t turn out how we had hoped. We take action that leads us away from our goals, and we screw up at times. But as long as you can look up, you can get up. Through reflection, we are able to grow and learn from our experiences over time. “Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.” -Will Rogers

8. Review and Assess

Learning requires time for reflection. In reflection, we can review our actions and results, and assess what we can do to improve next time around. This is where we truly grow.

Bottom Line

If you want to solve problems and improve those around you, commit to investing time in becoming a better leader. But remember that leadership is not a part time job. It is a 24/7/365 responsibility. And people are everything. You can’t lead or motivate a system, but you do lead and develop people. Most of all you, must commit to your own development and development of those around you FOR LIFE.

NOTE: These points are taken from a recent presentation I gave on Leadership at our fall MEGA TRAINING™ conference. If you enjoyed this article and want to see a few video clips with highlights from my talk, visit our new website at www.NetProfitExplosion.com.