Greg A. Shelley, Ph.D.

"You can't do everything. Focus on what will make the biggest impact. Communicate your goals relentlessly so that everyone else knows what their own focus should be."
- Bonnie Reitz, former senior vice president, Continental Airlines

Leadership is often the "difference maker." In other words, without good leaders, teams lack direction, passion, focus, perseverance, and productivity. Show me a great team and I'll show you a great leader.

No doubt there are many variables impacting productive teams. However, with the possible exception of talent and skill, nothing is more important to teams than leaders who can effectively lead themselves, others, and their teams. What follows are several important considerations for developing self-leadership, effectively leading others, and productively leading teams. Ten additional ways to expand your leadership thinking are also presented.

Self-Leadership

Self-leadership is a must and it starts with a passion for what you are doing. It's about high expectations, pushing yourself to improve, taking initiative and committing at a high level, and managing your resources. In short, self-leadership is about . . .

• Lighting the fire - do what you are passionate about.
• Setting the bar - create high expectations for yourself.
• Raising the bar - look for ways to improve.
• Acting - take the initiative... commit... and finish.
• Managing the Big 5...
  1. Time - you have more than you think.
  2. Energy - focus on your strengths and those things within your control.
  3. Emotions - consistent control of emotions is critical to success
  4. Thinking - you move in the direction of what you think.
  5. Stress - anxiety impacts focus and confidence.

Leading Others

Leading others starts with showing others the "correct" way in doing things. In addition, you will have to be an effective communicator, one who can empower and "build others up", and one who is always willing to help others get better. To summarize, leading others entails...

• Modeling - be sure to "show" the right effort, attitude, and response to setbacks.
• Listening - it's the start to good communication.
• Esteeming - empower others and let them know you believe in them.
• Serving - always look for ways to help others improve.

Remember, leaders must be credible, dependable, and trustworthy.

Our Championship Coaches Network members can click on the link below to read Part 2 to learn more about Leading Teams and Ten Ways to Expand Your Leadership. . .