The 5 Best Four-Letter Words Leaders Can Practice Today

Remarkable success begins simply.

Fools make simple things complicated.

1. Complexity leads to confusion.
2. Confusion produces anxiety.
3. Anxiety creates insecurity.
4. Insecurity leads to stagnation.

The 5 best four-letter words for leaders

#1. Kind

Unkindness is always bad. But a person in a rush has no time to be kind.

Jeff Bezos said, “Cleverness is a gift. Kindness is a choice. Gifts are easy…. Choices can be hard.”

Kindness is about:

1. Respectful tone.
2. Good manners.
3. Perspective taking.
4. Generous affirmation.
5. Moving toward, instead of away.

The best time to be kind is when you’re being tough.

Kindness with drive grows remarkable relationships and delivers delightful results.

Reflection: What actions come to mind when you think of being kind?

#2. With

People go further ‘WITH‘ than they go alone.

How might you create partnership between team members that nurture development, enhance ideation, bolster accountability, and fuel energy?

1. Pair up people on projects.
2. Assign a two-person team to plan your next team meeting.
3. Create accountability partners who track each other’s progress toward goals.

Warning: The wrong ‘with’ destroys enthusiasm and defeats resolve.

Remarkable things begin in connection with others.

Reflection: How might you let others know that you are their ‘with’?

#3. Hope

Forget about hope-so hope. Think of hope as confidence. What are your points of confidence?

Developing hope:

1. What challenges have you already won?
2. How do past wins inform and enable the next step?
3. Who might step up in new ways?
4. How might you take the next step?

Leaders believe progress is possible.

#4. Brag

Bragging is bad when you do it about yourself and good when you do it about others.

#5. Stop

One of the toughest questions you ever ask is, “What do we need to stop?”

What four-letter word for leaders might you add to the above list?

What four-letter word is most relevant for you today?