Leadership Lessons from Everyday Life

"Leadership is a capability that each of us has within us. It is formed as we take on the opportunities and challenges of everyday life, and it is measured by our successes and failures. It is my belief and experience that the leadership lessons we learn in our everyday lives can and should be carried with us into our work environments, and that they can help us become better leaders of our people. As I have reflected on leadership over the years based on my own experiences across several countries and continents, I have been inspired by people everywhere, irrespective of their country or their socioeconomic status, who exemplify the true qualities of leadership. And they do so by the strength of their character and their authenticity -- by the way they live their lives every day." 

- By Vinita Bali

The Law of Ambition

Leaders have an intense desire to lead; they have a clear vision of a better future, which they are determined to realize. Vision is the one common quality that separates leaders from non-leaders. Leaders have a clear picture of the kind of future they want to create, and they have the ability to communicate this vision to others in an exciting and inspiring way. 

Key Responsibility of Leadership :

People may work steadily for a paycheck, but they perform at high levels only when they are inspired by a vision of some kind. The development and articulation of this vision is a key responsibility of leadership. 

Leaders Visualize :

Leaders have the ability to visualize, to see the big picture and then to inspire others to work together to make it a reality. The true leader sees leadership as a tool he or she can use to bring about a result that is bigger and more important than any single individual. 

Become a Leader : 

You become a leader when you set a goal, make a plan, and then throw your whole heart into making it a reality. You become a leader when you develop an inspiring vision for yourself and others. You become a leader when you know exactly where you want to go, why you want to get there, and what you have to do to achieve your vision. 

Leaders Explain :

Leaders can explain clearly to other people what it is they are trying to accomplish, why they are trying to accomplish it, and how they are going to bring it about. They are eager to get results and they are impatient with delays. They are excited about what they are doing, and as a result, they get other people excited as well. Leaders have goals, plans, and strategies that they are working to implement every day. They are in a hurry. They have a lot to do and they feel that they have too little time. 

Clarity :

Perhaps the most important part of ambition is clarity on the part of the leader. The leader has a clear vision, clear values, a clear vision, and clear, written goals, plans, and strategies for his or her department or organization. Most of all, leaders want to lead, to be in charge, to be responsible, to make things happen. They are willing to endure the risks and the sacrifices that are required to make a real difference in their worlds.

- By Brian Tracy 

Awakening...

Awakening, dawn's chorus
Welcoming,
The day new, untouched
Waiting to be filled....

And will we paint a rainbow
With all its promise
Or dull the canvas
Sadly seen?

Each day brings its own colours
To be chosen, mixed,
Pigments of joy,
Happy moments,
Smiles and laughter....

And which will you choose?
For 'Life' is choice,
We are all painters
In our own way,
All needing to create
Something of worth,
Of lasting beauty,
Marking our journey....

Footprints in the sand....

The sky today is azure,
The sun warm and golden
A filigree of light and shadow-play
Through the gently swaying trees.

I clean my brushes,
Choose my palette
Of vibrant, living colours,
And begin to fill
Today's blank canvas

- By John McLeod

Always Grab The First Opportunity.

A young man wished to marry the farmer's beautiful daughter. He went to the farmer to ask his permission. The farmer looked him over and said,

"Son, go stand out in that field. I'm going to release three bulls, one at a time. If you can catch the tail of any one of the three bulls, you can marry my daughter."

The young man stood in the pasture awaiting the first bull.

The barn door opened and out ran the biggest, meanest-looking bull he had ever seen. He decided that one of the next bulls had to be a better choice than this one, so he ran over to the side and let the bull pass through the pasture out the back gate.

The barn door opened again. Unbelievable. He had never seen anything so big and fierce in his life. It stood pawing the ground, grunting, slinging slobber as it eyed him. Whatever the next bull was like, it had to be a better choice than this one. He ran to the fence and let the bull pass through the pasture, out the back gate.

The door opened a third time. A smile came across his face. This was the weakest, scrawniest little bull he had ever seen. This one was his bull. As the bull came running by, he positioned himself just right and jumped at just the exact moment. He grabbed... but the bull had no tail!

Life is full of opportunities. Some will be easy to take advantage of, some will be difficult. But once we let them pass (often in hopes of something better), those opportunities may never again be available. 

So always grab the first opportunity.

- Author Unknown

Most Valuable Asset

Your attitude can be your most valuable asset. For it is with your attitude that you make use of all the other assets. If you have a well-developed skill but don't take the initiative to use it, you might as well not even have that skill. If you have great opportunities and fail to take advantage of them, they won't be of any value to you. 

In fact, you do have more than enough intelligence and skill to reach any goal you set for yourself. You do have ways to access the resources necessary to achieve anything that you're fully committed to achieving. 

The defining factor is your attitude. Because your attitude determines what you do with each moment, and those moments, all added together, form the substance of your life. 

And your attitude is yours to choose. It ultimately depends not on any outside factors, but on what you decide to make it. 

You have a whole world full of good things going for you. Adopt an attitude that enables you to always make the best of what you have. 

What Motivates You to Take Action?

What prompts you to take action? Many of us seem to delay taking action until forced by outside circumstance. The natural outcome of procrastination is a hardship. I think we learn to postpone when we are growing up. Our parents literally have to force us to accomplish things that we do not want to do. Actions like cleaning our room, brushing our teeth, or sharing our toys are good examples. Of course, we need to learn to do these things, but we may forget or wait until the parent controls the action. The parent may even have to impose consequences in order to motivate us in the right direction.

By relying on the parent to force us to accomplish, we develop the habit of hesitance and rely on natural concerns before we take action. As adults, we no longer have the parent to enforce and govern responsibility. We must learn from our mistakes, and be spurred to take action. With the habit of relying on our parents to drive us (outside stimulus), we can end up being forced through life. We may delay on a project until an adverse effect comes along. We know that if we do not take action something will happen, but somehow we still delay until the incident. We seem to have a habit of delaying the inevitable, and using it as a motivational quality.

For example, say that you know that your roof is in need of repair, and you do not want to repair it or put out the money. Do you wait until your roof leaks before you fix it? How many times have you heard yourself think, “I knew that would happen”? How did you determine, and did you somehow wait or desire for it to happen? Did you understand the obligation, and refuse to be accountable, by taking the necessary steps to prevent it? When you finally came up with the adversity because of delaying, did you feel eased of making the decision? Did you in the end take the required steps because of the outside stimulus (the hardship) and how did you feel by utilizing this force?

We Do Have a Choice :

Many of us at least on occasion utilize outside factors to provoke ourselves by perceiving what we want to avoid. We may delay until the actual event occurs, (and now I have no choice). We discern natural consequences (what will happen if) and prompt ourselves with this process. This is effective motivation and it is internal. Is it healthy to arouse a feeling force to take action?

We may have to feel guilty, unequal, or pushed (place stress on ourselves) in order to force ourselves. Is this the best method to taking action toward what we want to avoid? If we feel forced, by working ourselves up, we can experience a touch of resentment. Just because we eventually take action using this method and avoid disaster this cannot promise a sense of achievement. We can think about what we don’t want differently, accepting that we always have options and that ultimately we choose.

Switch Your Outlook :

Any time we focus on what we want to avoid, we are going to have to force ourselves to succeed. If we change our focus, we generate a true inner-motivation to excel. Maybe we cannot eliminate thinking about what we want to avoid and this is a relevant thing. By understanding clearly what we prefer, we can think about what we do want to happen and utilize the “what will happen if, path” effectively. “I don’t want my roof to leak,” becomes “I would like my roof to be in good condition.” This changes the thought process and the “what will happen if” transforms with it. What will happen if I decide to fix the roof today? How will I feel if I take affirmative action now, with a willing attitude?

Emotionally driven pertains to what we do not want and to what we do want, and the link works. Whether we feel forced, or we strictly wait until we have few alternatives, we fulfill the need. There is a difference in these two leading factors. With one, we are affirming ourselves toward a clear, feel-good result. On the other angle, we make an effort to avoid harmful results. Using positive thinking and arousing a sense of security, we can more easily see our options, because at this point we feel we have a choice.

Tips to Overcome Feeling Forced :

* Pay close attention to your thoughts, and the avenue you are taking to motivate yourself.

* Recognize the way your thoughts are affecting how you feel.

* Try to rephrase your contemplations about what you don’t want. Break down the word “don’t” into “Do NOT” and remove the word NOT.

* Realize that you always have a choice and the various options that come with it.

* Think about what will happen if you think positive. Consider how you will feel by changing your outlook and inner-dialog.

* Understand that even though you may be unmotivated to do something, you can achieve without forcing yourself. You can let go of negative thinking and visualizing – you do have a choice.

* Think about how you developed the habit of procrastination. Take steps to change the habit into an avenue of positive fulfillment.

* Realize that stress and pressure cause resentment, guilt and overall low self-esteem.

- By Sandra Hendricks

Times of Great Consequence

Is there something that has you troubled, concerned or discouraged? That very same situation can just as realistically cause you to be hopeful and encouraged and positively successful.

The future has not happened yet, and the way it will unfold is completely open. Where there is the possibility for defeat and failure there is also the possibility for success and improvement.

Where much is at risk of being lost, there is much that can be gained. Times of great consequence are times of great opportunity. 

Just imagine what would happen if you could turn your perspective around. Just imagine it, and know that's precisely what you can do. 

You can make the decision to create the most positive outcome. You can make the commitment to focus the energy of the situation in a creative and productive direction. 

Instead of turning your eyes away from the difficulty, open your eyes to the powerful opportunity. Choose to envision your own best outcome, then choose to do whatever is necessary to make it happen.

- Unknown