Leaders - Lift Others to Greatness

A unique and almost entangible quality of a true leader is the ability to bring out the best in others. A leader understands that success is the accomplishment of something that had not happened before. Success is not the repetition of past events but the creation of new opportunities, solutions, processes, products or services that are unique in their time frame and market or environment. To overcome the challenges of creating something new, requires people to rise to a level that they did not know the had inside themselves. Leaders find motivational tactics and processes that encourage and challenge those around them to raise their game. This is not to say that the motivaitonal process is always a pleasing process. Leaders learn to when to push and when to pull back in motivating people. Often those involved will find themselves frustrated and unsure of why they have accepted the challenges of working with a leader driven to accomplish their goal. A good leader knows when they are asking too much from those in their care. But a good leader will work to keep that person on the edge of creation and the brink of eruption without crossing the line and losing the confidence they have in the value of the task at hand and their ability to make it happen. Not all people are able to work with strong driven leaders, but those that do will find a reward that many others will never encounter. The joy of achievement and the satisfaction of knowing they could accomplish that which others could not. Leaders surround themselves with people who have an urge to define themselves differently from the masses. People who appreciate the value of accomplishment. Assembley of a team is people with the focus and ability to carry out the tasks at hande is just the starting point for a leader. He or she must know the motivational buttons for each and every team member. These button are not the same for everyone. What is motivational to one person may be disrespectful to another. Leaders challenge people to evaluate themselves and their abilities. The process of challenging people is a delicate balance of critism and encouragement. Leaders find that edge that cause a person to not be satisfied with their progress but yet not discouraged with their ability to accomplish the desired results. This balance is the key to unlocking the true potential of others and the key to creating that which no one else before you have been able to create.

Leaders manage relationships

Leaders know the value and the importance of relationships with their family, friends, peers, associates and employees. In order to be effective you have to treat the people and supporting businesses that you associate with in a fair and balanced manner. There is no such thing as a casual relationship. Any relationship that is worthy to be called a relationship needs to be cared for and always be in a constant state of development. This is not to say that every relationship works. Rather to say that when a relationship slides downward, leaders mange the process. The successful leader knows the dangers and risks associated with a badly managed relationship. One poorly managed relationship will have more impact on future opportunities then 5 strong relationships. The key to success is to minimize the negative influences along your path to achievement. Make your association with others your priority and manage it carefully. If a relationship needs to end in order to move forward, then treat the decision with proper attention, research and care. Be sure that all involved understand the decision in a manner the will retain interest in your future success.

Leaders do their homework

Leaders know the terrain upon which they make their path for success. No successful company or team ever got to the top without knowing how they got there. In order to know where, when or how to make your move you need to do your research and know the factors and issues that got you where you are today. The best leaders live in the future while learning from the past. They see the possibilities and fully visualize the accomplishment of their goals. Yet, they avoid pitfalls and barriers that contributed to past failures. To secure success for the future, you must know what has gone before you. Leaders, fully analyze the situation that exists today. They uncover obstacles and seek disclosure of information and performance issues of the past, so as not to repeat them or be surprised by issues that will detract or derail them from making the changes that are necessary for success. History is the study of past events that lead to current situations. Harnessing the experiences and the knowledge gain along the way is a key ingredient to future success. How is it possible to know where you are going if you do not know where you have been? If you can not answer this question you may end up back to where you started.