The Leadership Imperative: Making Your Leadership Your Life

Nearly all leaders I've encountered are underachievers. They're getting a fraction of the results they are capable of. And in most cases, it's their fault. Their failures are the result of the choices they make. For the opportunities to consistently get more results are all around them all the time, theirs for the 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 have the change in mind-set really sink in so it changes you in a deep, fundamental way, you must cultivate two dynamics: a vision of the purpose of your leadership, and the 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 is the wrong place to look.

Here's a vision that you can carry with you for the rest of your career, for the rest of your life. I call it the Leadership Imperative.

I WILL LEAD PEOPLE IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY NOT ONLY ACHIEVE THE RESULTS WE NEED BUT THEY ALSO BECOME BETTER AS PEOPLE AND AS LEADERS.

This vision has two parts: one is result-accomplishments and the other is the betterment of the people.

You are never more powerful as a leader as when, in getting results, you are helping others be better than they are -- even better than thought they could be. Guided by the Leadership Imperative, you'll find that the jobs you take on, the career(s) you have, will, in terms of your doing well by them, take care of themselves.

However, vision alone is not enough. You must be dedicated to realizing it. Realizing this vision means living not an easy life for ourselves but a hard life for others.

There are many ways to make such realization happen, and it should be our life's journey to find them and put them into action. The point is that when you turn the focus of your ambitions away from yourself and toward other people, when you become truly ambitious for their success, your success will take care of itself.

How do we really let our leadership sink deeply into our life and change it and shape it throughout our lives? By dedicating ourselves to passionately realizing the Leadership Imperative.

2005 © The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the 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

The author of 23 books, Brent Filson's recent books are, THE LEADERSHIP TALK: THE GREATEST LEADERSHIP TOOL and 101 WAYS TO GIVE GREAT LEADERSHIP TALKS. He is founder and president of The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. ? and for more than 20 years has been helping leaders of top companies worldwide get audacious results. Sign up for his free leadership e-zine and get a free white paper: "49 Ways To Turn Action Into Results," at http://www.actionleadership.com

---

Problem-Solving Success Tip: Measure

Measure.The first key question to answer in starting a problem-solving... Read More

Listening Strategically

Usually, we're most interested in communicating outwardly; getting our messages... Read More

Middle-Aged Managers, the Forgotten Digital Divide

The digital divide is defined by the role computers play... Read More

Business Fails When We Do Not Talk

You may remember being told as a child, "Keep quiet!"... Read More

Is Your Employee Newsletter Management Propaganda?

It should not be. If it is an effective newsletter,... Read More

Is A Bad Attitude Permanent

Today there is great weight put on a person's attitude.... Read More

Hiring and Retaining Good Employees

Hiring good employees is not only important to business, it's... Read More

Parenting Your Employees to Better Performance

Have you ever worked for someone who was such a... Read More

Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Ideas for Everyday Training

This article relates to the Training competency, commonly evaluated in... Read More

Plan for Business Success - 6 Reasons to Succession Plan

Succession Planning provides many valuable assets to your business. Yet... Read More

How to Dodge Distribution Difficulties

It happened again. I ran into an old friend while... Read More

What Is Business Sense?

What is the principal thing you need to succeed in... Read More

Budgets!

Budgets! There I've said it. For some the most hated... Read More

Leaning Toward Change

Seduced by the publicity surrounding the impact of Lean on... Read More

Group Discussion Guidelines

DISCUSSION METHODS: There are two basic types of discussion methods;... Read More

CEO: The Key To Fix ingThe Marketing/Sales Collaboration Problem

We all know that achieving better alignment, synergy and cooperation... Read More

Cultural Differences: Making it Work Virtually

Working virtually adds a whole new dimension to the phrase... Read More

Multiple Channels, Multiple Times

I've just been reading about the frustrations of a Human... Read More

Employee Retention: Five Leadership Fundamentals

Are your management practices on the right track? Retaining your... Read More

Motor Vehicle Policy and Your Employee Risks

It is becoming more common for employers to require employees... Read More

Effective Meetings by Phone - Part 2, How to Hold a Teleconference

Even a well-planned teleconference can go poorly. Some people treat... Read More

Why You Should Hold One More Meeting

If you are completely happy with where you and your... Read More

Challenge of ERP Implementation: Q and A with Rick Maurer

Question: ERPs seem like a good idea, so why is... Read More

How to Create a Positive Work Atmosphere

Positive versus Negative WorkplacesWe have all worked in places where... Read More

Organizational Techniques - Tickler and Chron File

One of the biggest problems we encounter in our consulting... Read More

Getting to Consensus

The need to get people in an organization to pull... Read More

Employee Orientation: The 90 Day Difference

Why do some new managers succeed while others fail? It... Read More

Develop Your People and Make More Money

What is the no. 1 asset in your business beside... Read More

Creating a Team Working Environment

TEAM DECISION MAKING: Managers who invite participation believe that people... Read More

Three Foundation Stones for Building Organizational Integrity

When the stock market crashed in 1929, there were a... Read More

People Are Our Most Important Asset!

How many times have you heard or uttered this phrase... Read More

Take Your Firm to the Next Level

So you did such a good job in 2003 at... Read More

Where Businesses Fall Short

1. No vision. Successful businesses have a clear vision or... Read More