Top 15 Strategies for Leadership Success
The first thing you need to know is:
Success is a result not an end in itself.
Five organizational strategies:
- Always create more harmony than discord.
- Build up more than you tear down, much more.
- Long-term views build stability.
- Short-term views produce quick results.
- Make life easier for those over you.
Three relationship strategies:
- Friends represent who you will become.
- Show respect.
- Always act with kindness, especially when being tough.
Two personal development strategies:
- Identify wise leaders and seek their counsel, often.
- Read. If you don’t read, listen to books.
Five communication strategies:
- Never pretend you know when you don’t.
- Always speak clearly, directly, and honestly.
- Talk less; listen more.
- Stay in the moment in public.
- Focus on and enjoy others.
Bonus: Define success.
What top strategies for leadership success can you add?
Dan,
I ALWAYS love the simple steps. The ones that stand alone, without requiring long explanations to understand them. Your post today is as close to a perfect example of this as you can get. This also has a broader takeaway for me: How effective the golden rule can be in SO many settings,if we simply remember to use it. I would estimate that the majority of today’s 15 tips have their roots in the golden rule. Thanks!
Thanks for working to the highest possible level of simplicity.
Dear Dan,
Excellent points for successful leadership strategies. I think success is a journey not a destination. And this philosophy makes person ordinary or extraordinary. I like some points like harmony, help, respect and listen. These are core of any successful leaders.
I always believe in one more leadership trait- humility. Any successful and effective leader must have humility. There are other strategies like being the person of integrity and stand out rather than fit in.
It is very easy to fit in the situation, system and culture but very challenging to stand out against this. Leaders generally take stand and favor the truth, honesty and authenticity. They know beforehand that by doing this they invite lot of troubles, but they also know that ultimately they will win.
We are viewing a similar path Ajay, as I was going to suggest that success is just a step and is transitory.
I can’t believe I didn’t include humility! Thanks for the add.
Great Friday post Dan. A lot of good thoughts for the weekend. I particularly like the remark about friendship saying “Friends represent who you will become.” I guess that is why we need to choose friends wisely. 🙂 I also came across a definition of friendship that touch me personally. “Friends are the family we get to choose.” Have a great weekend.
So good to see you Al! I think of you often.
I think I minimized the value of friends when I was younger. Now I see how valuable it is to have and be a friend.
Your post reminded me of Chauncey Gardener in “Being There” and how people thought he was wise because he rarely spoke. There is something to that.
I LOVE “Being There” !!! Thanks for the reminder.
Not to incite paranoia, however…regarding ‘staying in the moment in public’…assume you are always being watched, that you are always on the ‘stage’ and in public unless you are asleep at home. If you are asleep at work, you are still in public and perhaps later will be on TV.
As Al noted, your observation about friends represent who you will be is interesting, will ponder that one for a while.
And of course, success is in the eye of the beholder, or a matter of perspective. Acknowledge any small success, don’t minimize them, they can be a foundation of something bigger than you imagined.
No paranoia…you’re preaching the hard truth that people watch leaders. If you aren’t being watched you probably aren’t leading.
You might think of the proverb, “Iron sharpens iron and one man sharpens another.” on the friend topic.
Too true Rusty! 😉
I’d like to add being consistent and authentic to the relationship strategies.
Thanks for the add, TMM. Good stuff
my parents used to say ‘you are known by the company you keep.’ I like your version more — friends represent who you will become. Comments about the Golden Rule so true! Thanks all.
older habits dies hard, but listening is more powerful than wasting ur time in talking loudly as if to show u r the leader. leader is that person who cares, who makes the company beneficial with short term & long term views, & most of all he is philantropist…
Bit too simple. Sometimes harmony glosses over or avoids confronting the big issues we have to face individually/as a team/organisationally. What we really need to do is feel the discomfort of the reality in order learn new skills and capabilities needed for the future. Adaptation is hard (if not impossible) when in our comfort zone.
Very nice post and I like the simplicity. The harmony advice might lead people away from the proven value of debate, minority views, and diversity in generating innovation.
The Golden Rule is a great one but what is more valuable than gold? Maybe instead of treat others as you wish to be treated, the Platinum Rule is “treat others as they wish to be treated.” That invokes the emotional intelligence (EQ) that is critical to great leadership. Again, great post!
I love lists. Thanks.
I love these simple leadership truths. Uncomplicated truth is like a breath of fresh air.
Thank you,
I’m curious to learn more about “Stay in the moment in public”. Please elaborate on that one. Thanks and many blessings.
Not that Dan needs anyone to speak for him, but I will have a go at this one…far too often leaders tend to be physically present but not connected when in public, whether it is in general public events or in the work areas. As they are often asked to juggle 20-30 items at any given time, they can become distracted from ‘being here now’, when one of the items to juggle becomes a bowling ball.
Being attentive to those around you anytime you ware with them requires focus and stamina when you are being pulled in many other directions or have a major board meeting later that day.
You might recall the motivational FISH video from the guys at Pike Market in Seattle. One of their five rules is “Be there”…and they have to every moment or end up catching a fish in their face.
Reblogged this on applyingyou and commented:
Another awesome post
Dan
Love the simplicity of the lists. Great reminders for everyone. A new blog for me to follow!