20 Things to Do to Keep From Being an Accidental Leader, Part I

Strategically Create the Life and Work Worthy of your Talents, Giftings, Education and Experience

1. Take A Behavioral Style Profile to learn your strengths and weaknesses.  Contact me for more information.

2. Take a Strengths Finder to compliment the Personality Profile

3. Interview your parents, assuming you have a good relationship with them, and ask them what they saw in you as a child, i.e., the strengths they perceived in you that would translate into a career, or other direction for your life

4. Ask 5 friends what they see you’re good at and one thing they see you might work on for greater success

5. Deal with any and all childhood issues that could be showing up as blind-spots, limitations or weaknesses.  This is KEY to your progress.  Ask me for more information if this intrigues you, as I have a workshop that could get you started, and would gladly tell you about my experience with it

6. Learn to use the 24 hr. Rule, to get over a crisis, disappointment, or a “win”, and keep yourself moving forward. (I’ve written on this in past posts, and will write on it again this week.)

7. Begin a “Gratefulness Journal” and write every day of at least 5 things you are most grateful/thankful for.

8. Take a class on “Time Management”, creating systems for every area of your life and work

9. Create your own personal “Mission Statement” and choose 5 to 8 values by which to base, and use as a plumb-line,  all the major decisions you make life

10. Once a year go on a week or month long “Negativity Fast” where you allow family and friends to fine you if you say anything negative about yourself, others, or circumstances.  You’ll be amazed at how cleansing this is!  Take it up a notch and add not listening to any negativity as well!

11. Determine from now on to make decisions based on living out your values and Mission Statement.

12. Find a mentor.  Look for 2 people you admire in different aspects of their life, and then ask them if they would consider mentoring you.

13. Create some form of self imposed accountability for yourself.

14. Learn to be a better communicator, especially in the area of listening.  Most leaders get into trouble more by not listening than by talking.

Stay tune for the rest of the list of 20things, and how to get some help accomplishing these in the next post!

LEADERS, QUIT SABOTAGING YOURSELF AND GET RID YOUR BLIND SPOTS NOW!

I was breaking out with acne like a teenager. For over a year and a half I caked on foundation on my face, trying to hide the ghastly blemishes. Finally, I thought I’d try a moisturizing cream that was on sale, and within a week I noticed I wasn’t breaking out, NOT ONE BIT. After a year and a half of misery, what had made the difference? I discovered that make-up with oil in it caused my face to erupt and look like the Grand Canyon landed on my face. With one small, simple change, I felt physically, and emotionally better. I’m convinced this dilemma would have been solved considerably sooner had I consulted a professional in cosmetology, and had a needs assessment done on my skin. These same fatal flaws happen to professionals in every field, especially those in the role of a leader. As a leader you can easily succumb to believing you’re more important than you actually are, or that you’re more successful than is true. Like my simple little issue, so easily detected by a cosmetologist, the right business consultant, or executive coach can bring a trained eye to detect the small changes needed that will make a world of difference in your personal and professional success. They will provide the needed microscopic, outsider view-in to assess what’s working, while detecting what’s not. The value to this process is that they are someone who isn’t jaded by office politics, without bias toward one person or another, and therefore can see clearly, without any blind spots, what leaders are easily blind to. Couple this needs assessment with a program of coaching to hold you accountable for the needed adjustments or changes, and I believe you can more than double your effectiveness in the future. My question to you is, if you are a business owner, why wait until things are out of control? Like a yearly physical is needed to catch health problems before they exacerbate, every business needs to probe for their weaknesses and blind spots so they aren’t blindsided in the future. Let me ask you, do you feel like something is holding you back; that you or your company aren’t reaching their full potential; that you’ve hit a wall and don’t know what to do or where to go next?  If you’re silently any of this fits, and you genuinely see how a process like this could assist you in avoiding impending issues and problems, why wait? Build your leadership confidence to move forward in your business in 2010.  Contact me today and receive your free introductory leadership/company consultation to assess if you’re a good fit for us, and if we’re a good fit for you. If you’re not, we’ll refer you to someone who will meet your needs. Our strong affiliation with consultants and coaches throughout the country is why we can assure you the best, most appropriate person and service to meet your needs. Just contact us at: dynamicdev@comcast.net today, and we look forward to your continued success.