Category Archives: Deciding

Intentional Leadership for Others… ACTS

19 Friday Jan 2018

Posted by in Actions, Attitude, Authentic, Clarity, Communication, Deciding, Humility, Leader, Leadership, Power, Purpose, Servant, Transparent

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“Leadership is a way of thinking, a way of acting and, most importantly a way of communicating.” – Simon Sinek

When you convey your leadership to others, what comes to mind about it? One of the most important ideas to remember is our leadership should be about others. It is never about you. With that being the case, the question of how should we deliver our leadership is important. Is it intentional? Does it carry a positive servant attitude? Does it…?

As a Christian, I learned an acrostic to increase and have a more purposeful prayer life. It is ACTS. Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. A prayer life that models this style enables you to make sure everything has the correct place and is meaningful.
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Now, what if we applied that same acrostic to making our leadership intentional? What would each letter signify? It could go something like this:

Intentional Leadership for Others… ACTS

ACKNOWLEDGE – When we provide leadership, do you focus on yourself or others? Steven Canfield, Lead Teacher for Life Action Ministries, said: “We should never look past others.” When I heard him say this, I had to camp out on it for awhile. Why is this important? If we are providing leadership, it should be for the benefit of those around us. When we acknowledge everyone in the room, the receptiveness of the group increases.

CONSIDERATION – Acknowledgement leads to consideration. It is one thing to acknowledge someone, but not to consider the value they could or can bring creates a downer. Considering others allows the quality of your leadership to enhance. Which allows the empowerment of others. If you want the attention of someone, acknowledge and consider them. Their thoughts and willingness could be a great addition to your leadership.

TRANSPARENT – Everyone needs help in some area. Thinking that you have it all together with your leadership leads to arrogance. What weaknesses we have should not be a secret. That is why transparency is crucial to leadership. People do not want to be around fakeness. Your leadership value strengthens when others see the example your leadership brings with transparency. True leadership is when you can express your weaknesses or acknowledge the weaknesses of others and help them. Weak leaders can do neither of these. Let others see the true you.

STEP – Go where you need to go next. Sometimes that might be a step forward or a step back. Know your audience. Trying to force your leadership usually backfires. Let your leadership be a living conversation that can go and change direction as needed. Be willing to adapt. Part of great leadership is doing what is best for others. Know where to step. Just make sure you do not step on others. (Thanks to Allen Marett for helping me figure out a word for “S”)

This acrostic might seem silly or simple, but how many times do we know if we are reaching our audience? If you do not ask yourself this question, then admit it is all about you. The next time you have the opportunity to provide leadership, try ACTS; acknowledge others, consider their thoughts and who they are, be transparent and know where and how to step next. Each one is intentional and builds on the other. When we do that, a connection is in the making.

Here is the idea of leadership… You can know right, do right, and still not be right.

Remember… THINK LEADERSHIP!

©2018 J Clay Norton

Follow me on Twitter at TheBookChamber

Subscribe via email to my blog at the top of the page.

Don’t Let Your Leadership Drift

03 Friday Nov 2017

Posted by in Actions, Deciding, Drift, Leader, Leadership, Purpose

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“Judge each day not by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

When we go to the beach, I love to buy a cheap float, blow it up, and float in the ocean. Here is what I do, I go out in a straight line from where we are set up on the beach, this gives me a point of reference. After a while, all I end up doing is floating, riding the waves. Over time, I will be nowhere with regards to my point of reference. All I am is a weight, floating on top of the water. I go with the flow with the waves of the ocean, going wherever it takes me. I do one thing and one thing only, I drift.

 

Have you ever considered leadership with regards to drifting? Think of it this way; leadership is often like a piece of driftwood, sitting there on the water, drifting. No purpose, no fixed point, no anchor, no nothing. Just worthless driftwood.

Driftwood

 

Here are a few things that we should consider with leadership that drifts:

1. It requires no effort.

The moment we decide not to lead, we drift. It requires no effort not to do anything.

2. It is unconscious.

We drift unaware of what is around, against, and under us.

3. We never drift against the waves.

The waves push us, and the wind blows us where it wants. We become no more than a pushover.

4. Once leadership starts going downhill, it goes fast.

Think of it this way, when we hear and see the waterfall; it is usually too late to change the course. One thing is certain; you are about to drop.

5. It loses focus.

If we lose sight of our point of reference, we could end up anywhere other than where we need to be.

6. It will become dangerous and crash into something.

Only a few things can happen. It can rot, crash into something else, go over the waterfall, or collect so much baggage that it sinks.

 

When thinking about these points, we must remind ourselves that our leadership is our own. It should have a fixed purpose and must have a presence that is stable and shows consistency to others.

Does your leadership ever have moments of drifting? If it is, what are you doing to correct it? We must answer both of those questions. You and others around will appreciate it.

Remember… #thinkleadership

©2017 J Clay Norton

Follow me on Twitter at TheBookChamber

Subscribe via email to my blog at the top of the page.

That Ugly Word… Conflict​

13 Friday Oct 2017

Posted by in Actions, Attitude, Clarity, Conflict, Deciding, Leader, Leadership

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“Whenever you’re in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude.” – William James

 

Hiding head in sand

Conflict… It is a disease and it is contagious. Run for your lives…

And that is what many leaders do, they run.

Have you ever been around that leader who would not deal with conflict? Or, if they did deal with it, they made the matter worse. Why is this? What is it that they do not understand? As we often say… “The handwriting is on the wall…”

Bottom line… Many leaders avoid conflict. Like it or not, conflict is out there and we have to deal with it. Sometimes sooner rather than later. Either leaders do not like it or they do not want to deal with it. It may be that they want everyone to like them and hope that everyone can just get along. Which begs the question, “Why are some people in a leadership position anyway?”

So what happens when conflict is staring them in the face? Something has to happen, right? Well, here are some thoughts…

They…

Bury It – Put this away somewhere and hope it gets lost and never found. Hope no one remembers where it is. If things go right, they will not even remember where they put it.

Deny It – There is no conflict. What are you talking about?

Diminish It – It is not that big of a deal. You are making way too much out of this.

Drown It – Busy themselves with so much other stuff and not have time to deal with it.

Redirect It – Put the situation on someone else and make it their problem.

In each of these thoughts, the conflict is still there. We live in a fantasy world when we believe the situation will take care of itself. That’s the problem… Someone will dig it back up, refuse to let you be in denial, save it, or direct it back.

A leader’s job is to lead. How we handle conflict shows our leadership. Issues will arise and sometimes conflict hitches a ride. Not dealing with conflict or letting it go unresolved traps and backs us into a corner.

When leaders avoid conflict, they put everyone and everything at risk. They even put themselves at risk. Avoiding conflict causes a ripple effect that turns into tidal waves.

Be a leader who knows how to handle conflict. Everyone around you will appreciate it and you.

Remember… #thinkleadership

©2017 J Clay Norton

Follow me on Twitter at TheBookChamber

Subscribe via email to my blog at the top of the page.

 

 

 

 

“Entitled” Leadership?

29 Friday Sep 2017

Posted by in Actions, Attitude, Clarity, Deciding, Leader, Leadership, Team

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“Leadership is not about a title or a designation. It’s about impact, influence and inspiration. Impact involves getting results, influence is about spreading the passion you have for your work, and you have to inspire team-mates and customers.” – Robin S. Sharma

 

I need a title!

Why?

It makes me look better.

Does it or will it make you lead better?

I don’t know, but it makes me look better!

Screen Shot 2017-09-29 at 8.53.59 AM

 

Let’s start with this fact… and it is a fact: A title does not make you a leader. But oh, how many people live in that fictitious world.

So… Some thoughts about leaders being “entitled”…

Titles are like business cards. Anyone can get one… Make one up and hit print.

Leadership is a melting pot of complex, different attributes. A good leader will rally those around for the good of the group and have their support. But… a true leader will be able to step in when difficult situations occur and make the hard decisions. Given almost any situation, a leader will emerge from within a group. Natural leadership ability will always rise.  The need to self-appoint will not be necessary.

It would be great if titles meant effective leadership ability. But that is not the case. Many leaders with titles cannot or chose not to lead. Either case, sooner or later, failure will happen. When it does, the lack of leadership will show.

Leaders who are “entitled” are blind and have limits to their leadership. Their ego and self-centeredness become known for what they are. “Entitled” leaders take credit for others work, give orders for something they do not want to do, or place blame on others for their own mistakes and failures.

But why are these people in positions to lead? Who knows… the problem is that they are there. It does not take us long to figure out that “entitled” leaders surround us every day. What is worse, they have the power to make decisions that affect a lot of different areas.

But where does a title come in? It doesn’t. Please quit thinking it does.

Some of the best leaders we know do one thing well, they lead. Leadership is a verb, not a noun. It is action. It is the form of doing. Those who lead by title only do so because they have a title.

Anyone and everyone has the capability to be a leader. But leadership is not for everyone and that’s OK. A person chooses leadership when they make a decision for the greater good of a cause and stand for it. They lead by example. They do not ask others to do something they are not willing to do themselves.

.…And most of all, leaders act like leaders even when they do not have a title.

 

Remember… #thinkleadership

©2017 J Clay Norton

Follow me on Twitter at TheBookChamber

Subscribe via email to my blog at the top of the page.