Leaders Make Things Happen!
One of the prime differences between leaders and followers is that leaders go out and make something happen, while followers wait for something to happen. In fact, there are three kinds of people in business. See which you most resemble:
- Those who make things happen.
- Those who wait for something to happen.
- Those who wonder, "What happened?"
Here are five things leaders do to make things happen in the workplace each and every day:
- Leaders focus on strengths; the strengths of their people, organization and themselves. Leaders know that by focusing on and developing strengths, they gain momentum and can become exceptional in an area(s). Focusing strictly on weaknesses breeds mediocrity. It never gives you a chance to truly excel, to widen the gap between you and your competition. Leaders focus on strengths because they know it takes more time and energy to go from miserable to mediocre than it does to go from good to great and great people make an organization great and great people and organizations make things happen!
- Leaders set the tone and climate for their workplace each day. Leaders know that the speed of the leader is the speed of the pack. They have to set the tone directed towards a positive activity and productive atmosphere . Leaders know that if they don't set the tone, they're leaving the climate of the workplace—either focused and energetic or divided and haphazard—up to the discretion of their followers; a betrayal of good leadership.
- Leaders set the bar high. They focus on outcomes and instill a results-orientation. By defining high expectations, leaders elevate the thinking of everyone in their organization. They push people out of their comfort zone, stretching them to new heights. In some organizations, the bar is set so low people keep tripping over it. Instead of charging forward, people hope to maintain the ground they have, locking themselves into a trance of mediocrity.
- Leaders plan for success. They don't come in and make up the day as it goes along. They not only have high goals and expectations, but a strategy to execute to reach the goal. They are constantly evaluating their plan and soliciting the input of team members to refine it. When things seem off track, they don't jump in and lower the goal. Instead, they reevaluate the strategy, looking for ways to improve. They don't get caught up in the past or anchored to the errors of yesterday. Leaders spend more time charting the course than charting results.
- Leaders remove the fear of making mistakes from their people. They encourage risks, knowing that breakthroughs don't take place in safe environments. They expect their followers to make mistakes, to learn from them, and not to repeat them. They know that the best way to make it safe for others to take risks is to admit their own mistakes when they make them rather than passing the responsibility and the blame. Leaders make things happen by going out on a limb and looking for the fruit, rather than chaining themselves to the tree trunk, hoping to maintain the status quo.
Dave Anderson is President of The Dave Anderson Corporation. He can be contacted by phone at (800) 519-8224, or by fax at (650) 949-4270. For more information, see his web site at www.learntolead.com.
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