Does Your LeaderSHIP Sail?

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find your why.” – Mark Twain

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For a boat/ship to sail, it must have a few necessary items: sail(s), mast(s), crew, oars, etc. The two things that it cannot go without are a rudder and a driver. Obviously, what you do not want to do is to just “float’. Now, there are those who float their way through life but most of us like a destination. Having a destination usually means taking the lead or being lead. Either way, a leader is involved.

Have you ever taken the time to self-diagnose your leadership? How would you say your leadership style is built? Most of the time our style comes through trial and error, being thrown in the fire, or depending upon whom we have worked for or under. I believe to be a leader you have to want to make decisions. Some decisions are easy; some are hard. We have to convince others to follow and have mutual trust. Most of all, we lead by setting an example and serving.

Here is a great example of this week’s thought your you. It is a video clip from the move U-571. Great dialogue between Bill Paxton and Matthew McConaughey about a Captain’s decision and his ability to make the difficult decisions needed to be a captain.

Remember…  THINK LEADERSHIP

© 2017  J Clay Norton

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Passion

The root of the word “passion” is found in the Latin word “passio” which means “suffering.”  Whatever our passion is, it is going to cost.  What distances are we willing to go?  As leaders, can we create a culture that shows others our passion?  Can we get them to buy into our passion?  Great questions that can only be answered by you.

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Actions & Attitudes

“Righteous action without the right attitude is mere ritual.  Easily faked.” – Dr. Ivan Park

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I heard the above quote by Dr. Ivan Parke during a sermon at our church. After I wrote the quote down, I started thinking about all the stuff I do, why I do it, and what is my attitude with it all.

I know what you must be thinking about after reading the previous sentence. “I do not want to go there with my thinking…” The funny thing is, neither do I. It is never fun to have to self-examine ourselves. BUT… for us to be better leaders, we must continue to challenge ourselves in leadership. We have to examine ourselves daily, for this I believe is true… someone else is examining us.

So… what about your actions with your attitude? Are they nothing more than a ritual? Is your enthusiasm for your actions faked? Are you doing something just to be doing it? When it comes to your leading, is there a difference the direction your attitude takes depending on what you are doing? I’m pretty sure we can answer and it will be different then what those who know us best would say. The main question that must be asked is, “Do we go through our days faking our attitude?

A lot of times, just the amount of energy we show up with determines our attitude toward our actions. We all know the stuff we put more effort into. Also, our attitude could empower others, or not. No one wants to follow a fake, and at the end of it all, our true selves will be seen. We could even say that our attitudes are contagious. Going back to the energy sentence… Is your leadership energy negative or positive? Just like a fake, no one wants to be around negative people. Positive vibes are where it is, while at the same time being realistic.

What attitude will you take and when will you start? Questions that must be answered as a leader.

A great quote regarding all of this is: “Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions” by Harold S. Geneen.

Remember… THINK LEADERSHIP

©2017 J Clay Norton

Balanced Leadership

If there is no “They,” there is no Blame! Encourage teamwork and promote self-generated productivity. They = Individuals. We = Uniformity!” – David Marquet

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What determines if you allow the scales of your leadership to stay balanced or tip to one side?

We all know what happens when scales are “over-weighted”… everything crumbles.

When dealing with our leadership, we must determine our strengths and weaknesses with what our teams/organizations need. We have to deal with so many different “styles.” Our teams need leaders who are balanced. Society needs leaders who can make decisions which are best for the overall picture. I also believe that unbalanced leaders have the scale tipped in their favor. They want themselves to look good. Even if it means taking balance away. We must pair our strengths and weakness to others that complete the whole of our leadership.

Now, here are a few questions I believe is worth considering:

1. Is there balance in your leadership?

2. Are the results of your leadership proportional to the amount of time you put in? Why or why not?

3. What would you be willing to do order to balance your leadership?

Remember… THINK LEADERSHIP

© 2017  J Clay Norton

Follow me on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/thebookchamber

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