MLM Training- The MLM Success Secret of Heart Touched Leadership- by Doug Firebaugh

Author: Doug Firebaugh

There are three Rules of Network Marketing Leadership for MLM Leaders:.

1) You must touch people first before you can ever change their life.

2) You must touch them emotionally, and in the heart.

3) They MUST feel your intentions, and know you are there to take their life to a whole new level.

They MUST know that you are there to help them, not sell them something. They can smell intentions when your intentions are not what the prospect wants to see happen. They know when someone is there to TAKE something FROM them, not give something TO them. They want to feel you are there to help them, not hype them.

A sale and a recruit is a result of an emotional touch. There is no long lasting change, without an emotion OnFire first and foremost. This emotional igniting is all part of MLM leadership, and Network Marketing Success.

Emotion is what puts the heart, and the person, IN MOTION to move towards you psychologically.

INFERNO Secret:

That is ALL MLM Success is, to get people moving towards you, then with you. Emotion is the Success magnet that draws them towards you.

That is what you want, in this business. People want to be around people who can light their life up with the fire of PASSION.

IN MLM, People are MAGNETIZED to a strong Emotion of the Heart, and that is what touches the person, and their heart.

It is called Emotional Marketing.

We are in what I call "" Emotional Marketing "", as we market to the emotions, and market the emotions of Hope and Possibilities to folks.

And your job is to create 2 things in your mlm presentation:

HOPE . POSSIBILITIES . 1) You MUST create the HOPE of:

A BETTER LIFE.

A BETTER LIFESTYLE.

A BETTER FUTURE for folks.

You must create that with the picture you paint with your words, and also excitement.

Put them in their minds, in the picture of Success you are painting, and them leave them there! Let them FEEL the Success you are talking about!

If you do that, that will be what will MAGNETIZE them to your offer, and attract them to you.

2) You also MUST create the POSSIBILITY that it will happen in their life, and you do that with your MLM products and company.

The Secret.

Too many times new distributors in MLM are too focused on creating a TRANSACTION , not a TRANSFORMATION .

A Transaction is ME focused and pretty short term.

But a Transformation is YOU focused, and much more long term focus, which is THE Success Focus in Network Marketing.

A Transaction is a one time, short term action that will produce one result, and then you move on to another, then another, then another, etc.

A Transformation is long term action and focus that will MULTIPLY all you do, as you transform people's lives, and they are never the same because of your Network Marketing company and products.

First you must Touch the heart, then Change, and if you don't touch the emotions somewhere along the lines, by truly CARING about the PERSON, not just the paycheck, they probably will not embrace your concept and offer of change.

People have dreams and desires, and your job as an MLM Leader is to help them accomplish their dreams with your leadership and Network marketing company. They want to know you are coming from the HEART, and want to touch their heart with Hope and a REAL CHANCE to to make their dreams come true by leading them there. If you don't do this, they will probably end up walking away from your business, and you.

Which will produce another emotion:

FRUSTRATION.

And that is water on your SuccessFire, in MLM and Network Marketing.

Blessings…

doug Firebaugh / PassionFire Intl

(c)2005/ all rights reserved

http://www.passionfire.com

http://www.passionfire.com/pf_heat_7.html

About the author: Doug Firebaugh is one of the top MLM Network Marketing Trainers in the world. Over a million people a month read his training ezine. He spent the last 7 years traveling the world speaking and training on Success. He lives in Birmingham Michigan, and you can receive a FREE subscription to his training ezine- The MLM Success HEAT- at: http://www.passionfire.com/pf_heat_4.html http://www.passionfire.com

How to make the correct leadership decisions, fast, every time.

Author: Steve Wright

Start with the end in mind - it's not as easy as it sounds.

The second of Covey's habits of highly effective people is called ""Start with the end in mind""

Seeing the heading, I instantly understood what this meant. ""Know your target"". In the few pages I flicked through, before reading the chapter, I saw discussions of visualisation and mission statements. I fully expected it to be an easy read, in the belief I at least, had this one all worked out.

How wrong could I be? This chapter I found to be a real point of commitment. I found out some very hard realities about what I was centering my decisions on and it has taken me a good month to work though it, so be prepared to really look at your self. If at all possible, now is a good time to find someone as a mentor and discuss parts of this with them. You don't have to tell them your life storey, just ask them what they see, and then you take that away and work on it for yourself.

Before we go any further, if you do not already have a copy of this book, you need to get one. To get through this, you need to study this chapter. There are quite a lot tables and diagrams that will help you.

This chapter is really about working out your 'end', not just the objective of the task at hand. We are talking personal mission statements. Ok, I can hear you ""Not that old one again?"" Well, yes. But this time for real.

Covey makes a good point. If you don't have an idea of what is important to you, how do you know what to do when a choice arises?

Defining your mission is about discovering your core principles.

""HOLD ON HOLD ON! I've heard this stuff before"" I hear you say. Well so had I, but this time its different, this time we are going to do it! And this is why?

It's very hard to do, but once you work out your principles, you will no longer have to worry about each and every possible decision you might one day have to make. How much stress will that release immediately? From that moment on, for every decision you simply refer to your principles. Now if the answer does not feel right, you need to check your principles. All sounds a bit easy. Well, it is clearly not as simple as it sounds, but I have to admit it sounds a lot easier than spending every night imagining all possible decisions and trying to choose ""what to do if"".

As a leader, I used to try and consider all scenarios I might be faced with the following day and make decisions on my actions before they happened. I believed this would reduce the chance of making the wrong decision and looking like a poor leader. The result was erratic decisions, as reality was never quite how I imagined it and I found I would be jumping to wrong decisions.

I found the process of creating a mission very hard. In the end I had to just accept that while my mission was not poetic and did not include any great imagery, it was what I had managed to come up with after a great deal of effort and on that basis is a good start.

Now I have a collection of principles, that I am committed to and am beginning to make decisions based on these. Initially it was hard to trust the process, but slowly I am beginning to believe this is the right way and with a few changes here and there I am actually quite happy with how it's all working out.

This may sound drab, but the actual principles don't really matter that much, it is the process of coming to them that matters. It somehow prepares your mind to prefer certain outcomes and think about certain implications of your decisions that alter the way you consider your daily choices. For this reason you need to revisit your principles regularly to keep your mind 'skilled up' in this more holistic thought process.

Make the commitment and try this, it's not so much the mission statement at the end of the road that matters; it's the mental exercise of the journey.

If you are having trouble starting check out some of the free tools at: http://www.franklincovey.com/missionbuilder

Now more than ever, be brave and have a great journey.

Cheers

Steve.

About the author: Hi, I have been slowly learning some of the key lessions fo Leadership, go to my web site to see my latest learnings: http://2leadership.com

Successful Network Marketing Requires Effective Team Leadership

Author: Kirk Bannerman

Many people who work at home participate in businesses that involve teamwork and network marketing.

I am often contacted by members of my business team with complaints regarding a lack of response or lack of action on the part of their affiliates. Their complaints typically go something like...""I send out lots of emails to all of them and I very rarely get any response and it seems like very few of them are taking any action. What am I doing wrong?"".

There are many types of internet-based home businesses where feedback and interaction are quite important and getting an affiliate or business team member to communicate with you is a definite objective. It's not at all surprising that this can be a challenge when you stop to think that what you are trying to do is initiate a dialog between two complete strangers who have never even seen each other.

In the case of network marketing, it is of critical importance to build a sense of trust with your team members. Network marketing is very definitely a relationship business and each relationship typically starts out with two complete strangers sitting at their respective keyboards.

The team building aspect of network marketing is of vital importance to the success of each individual member and to the team as a whole. Two key elements of team building are trust and confidence and these factors play a very large role, particularly for new team members.

With all that being said, many people love the IDEA of making good money working at home in their own business and expect it to just ""happen"", but have no willingness to take any action or put forth any effort to make it happen.

Having been involved with team building and network marketing for some time, I have come to adopt the following as my operating credo...""if you have the desire and are willing to put in the effort, I'll pull you along so you can go faster down the road to success, but if you don't want move on your own, I'm not going to waste my time trying to push you forward"".

Its like working with a length of chain...pulling it along works fine, but trying it push it forward only results in a pile of frustration.

You need to be able to distinguish between people that have a legitimate interest in developing a home based business and those lost souls that feel that they have just joined another chat group and only want to engage in an endless ""debate"" about the virtues of whatever business you are promoting, but never actually had any intention of establishing a business...you will have to develop your own method of reading people like this (its mainly a sense of feel...sort of a belly button thing).

You can help someone reach for success...but you can't reasonably expect to make them want to be successful. Its just another variation of that very old and tired cliche...that ""you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink"".

Another way of looking at it is if you are trying to move people forward, you pull them from in front (a leadership position), but if you have to push them it will be from behind (not a position of leadership).

About the author: Kirk Bannerman operates a successful home based business and coaches others seeking to start their own home based business. Visit his website at Legitimate Home Based Business for more details.

Identifying Candidates for Leadership

Author: Mike Beitler

A critical task in the succession planning process of any organization is identifying candidates. Traditionally, candidates have been identified based on past performance. While this seems logical, it is problematic in practice.

Past performance always measures success in a lower-level position. What is needed in succession planning is a system to identify potential for success in a future higher-level position. The best predictive model I have found is the Leadership Pipeline Model by Charan, Drotter, and Noel.

The Leadership Pipeline provides a model that describes the skills, time applications, and values required to succeed at different levels in the organization. While most leadership models and theories describe characteristics of leaders in general, the Leadership Pipeline describes specific criteria for success in transitioning from one level to the next.

The Leadership Pipeline Model helps us to see the importance of identifying candidates for positions throughout the entire organization. The pipeline must be continuously filled with leaders who have been identified for development for the next higher level. A pipeline clog at one level will clearly harm leadership development and succession throughout the entire organization. What is needed is a carefully monitored system for developing in-house talent from front-line supervisors to CEOs.

At GE and Citicorp, two companies using the Leadership Pipeline Model, leadership passages from one level to the next are seen as "turns" in the leadership pipeline. These turns (or passages) provide significant developmental experiences. If these turns are skipped the individual may not be prepared for higher-level leadership positions. The focus for development should be the lack of critical skills and values for the next higher level, not past performance.

I am often asked "Is it better to recruit from outside the organization or to develop leaders from within?" The safe, but rather uninsightful answer is, "It depends."

Recruiting from outside the organization makes sense when a major change in corporate culture or direction is needed. But, I would caution about the over-dependence on outside recruiting of leaders. Desperate attempts to recruit leaders from outside the organization suggest an inadequate leadership pipeline.

Recruiting leaders from the outside of the organization can be very expensive. As we all know, there is a talent shortage in the marketplace. This can lead to paying high premiums (or even outright price wars) for promising talent.

The Leadership Pipeline Model offers a common language (terminology) and specific criteria for what to look for in leaders at the next higher level. The Model provides a description of the skills, time applications, and values required of leaders at each successive level. This criteria is critical not only for identifying candidates but also for their subsequent development.

The key to identifying candidates for higher levels of responsibility is to predict their potential to succeed in attaining and using the skills, time applications, and values of the next higher level. Past performance is often a poor predictor of future success. Remember that the skills, time applications, and values of each successive level of leadership are dramatically different.

The challenge in succession planning and identifying candidates is making sure people are assigned to a level that is appropriate for them. The challenge is complicated by the fact that people change (hopefully for the better) over time. An appropriate position for someone today may not be appropriate three years from now.

Identifying candidates for the organization's future leadership positions is a critical task. Do you have a system for identifying candidates that considers not only their current skills, but also their willingness to adopt new work values and time applications?

About the author: Dr. Mike Beitler is the author of ""Strategic Organizational Change"" and ""Strategic Organizational Learning"". His books are used at General Motors, Coca-Cola, IBM, Wachovia, BASF, Glaxo Smith Kline, Daimler-Chrysler, and many more great companies. His work is written for practitioners who need real-world tools and strategies to be truly effective in their organizations. Find more info on Mike and his work at http://www.mikebeitler.com/

Look at South Africa - 'Celebrate the Beloved Country', but now time to show some firm leadership on Zimbabwe,

Author: Craig Lock

Article Title: Look at South Africa - 'Celebrate the Beloved Country' ...but now time to show some firm leadership on Zimbabwe, PRESIDENT MBEKI (and the WORLD) Author Name: Craig Lock Line Space: 65 characters Category (key words): ""Inspiration, Spiritual"", South Africa, Inspirational Writings. Web Site: http://kompuwiz.com/kompustore Other Articles: http://www.soulful-writer.com and http://www.bridgeniche.com

Publishing Guidelines: This article may be freely reproduced electronically or in print. If you do not want to receive my articles as a member of an article list, you will have to unsubscribe from them, as I do not have your email address. If a lot of you do that, I'll take the hint and rather not send out my articles! Thanks. All my articles (and quotations) may be freely published. If they help at all, or make a difference in people's lives by bringing some joy, then I'm very happy.

* Look at South Africa - 'Celebrate the Beloved Country' ...but now time to show some firm leadership on Zimbabwe, PRESIDENT MBEKI (and the WORLD)

Introduction: As a South African writer living in tranquil far-off New Zealand, I am enclosing a ""letter"" about my thoughts and impressions following on from a visit, together with some personal views on the current dire problems in Zimbabwe, which may be of interest. Just sharing a few thoughts and remembrances after a recent visit to my former homeland, this incredible, vibrant and diverse country at the tip of the vast (""dark"") continent of Africa, which may be of interest. This piece that I wrote is based upon an inspiring address by former Archbishop, Desmond Tutu. It is ten years since the first democratic elections, so we can celebrate a decade of the birth of a new country, where in spite of an endemic crime rate most people accept each other and work together as common citizens of the ""beloved country"". Well, I'm always looking at some positive aspects and this is my reason for sharing this piece about my former (yet always in my heart) country! * In the light of current world events and global uncertainty, I say: ""Look at South Africa""... Thousands of people died over the years of South Africa's turbulent, history (and under the ""nightmare"" called apartheid - forgotten already ???)...which has ended relatively peacefully. Out of a violent and bloody past, South Africa's extraordinary relatively peaceful transition to democracy was a minor ""miracle""... and I believe, South Africans have accomplished something unprecented, unparalleled in the last decade. Perhaps there is a message in South Africa's violent and tortuous path to democracy somewhere to the ""trouble spots of the world""... perhaps there was a reason for the misery and tragedy of apartheid (as well as many centuries of colonialism around the globe), after all... A possible role-model? In spite of the corruption, crime and ""cheapness of life there, South Africa may be the ""trail-blazer"", the beacon of magnanimity, hope and reconciliation to the world. With strong leadership, a spirit of goodwill, tolerance, acceptance ...and most importantly, attempts to understand other peoples and cultures, who are different to us (yet we humans have far more in common than our differences)...and especially with the SPIRIT of peace, your nightmare too will end. An end to the evil of terrorism, man's inhumanity to man and the ""impossibility"" of world peace CAN one day be achieved. Let the world celebrate the quite magnificent achievement South Africans of ALL races and creeds, ""The Rainbow People of God"" have accomplished in the past decade. With your ""torch of light"" you may yet illuminate the path to a world one day at peace with itself. CELEBRATE THE ""BELOVED COUNTRY"" - a land of such contrasts, a ""happy, sad"" land of great wealth and great poverty, yet the beauty and richness of the land ...and most importantly its most valuable resource, the spirit of its 45 million diverse peoples always seems to shine through in conquering adversity. ""How apartheid was finally buried, without requiem; but in joyous celebration, will remain forever in the hearts and minds of a nation reborn. When tears came, and there was dampness in the eyes of even the most stern, it was for putting the past in the past and hoping for hope in the future.""

""South Africa's ability to overcome deep divisions, to negotiate a common future and to commit itself to reconciliation and reconstruction offers new hope - not only to South Africa, but across the globe.

""God does work in amazing and miraculous ways...and every person and country has a unique purpose in ""God's Divine Plan"". * ""South Africa is blessed in resources beyond many. It dare not live just for itself. It must work and labour to bless Africa and the world...but especially Africa. If only for Africa's sake we dare not fail; because as South Africa goes, so will the rest of Africa.""

and as Zimbabwe goes, so perhaps may eventually even the economic power-house of it's Southern neighbour, South Africa. Doesn't the world need a leader like Nelson Mandela today? ""Cometh the hour, cometh the man."" The problems of the world today cannot be solved by thinking at the same level that created them. Jesus Christ challenged the conventional thinking of the day over 2000 years ago. PPS: Why can't the world and especially South Africa now try a radically different approach to South Africa's ""largely forgotten"" neighbour, Zimbabwe in ""darkest Africa"". Even though it's not a strategic country, like Iraq!

Like South Africa in the past decade, let the INTERNATIONAL (including African) COMMUNITY NOW show in a spirit of ""unity"" how the immense problems under a brutal and repressive government can also be solved PEACEFULLY through ""constructive engagement and negotiation in a show of peaceful unity with FIRM LEADERSHIP"". Time to show some strong effective leadership and to act decisively on Zimbabwe now, President Thabo Mbeki (though you were allies in bringing freedom to your constituents, you can immediately make the lives of thousands of Zimbabweans far better by firmly condemning the brutal repression of its citizens by Zanu-PF and through South Africa's economic might bring pressure on your neighbour by giving some ultimatums to Robert Mugabe!

Standards of behaviour and repression that the international community will NOT tolerate! And the world MUST support you. Those leaders, who ignore the lessons of world history are doomed to repeat them.

Let's not wait for ten years idly passing by (as in Iraq!). It is now time to ""raise the bar"" - what and what we will not accept in the global community, as 'acceptable behaviour' what the world expects now as acceptable (and decent) standards of behaviour in the community of nations. A radically different approach is needed with the problem of Zimbabwe to that imposed on Iraq; yet with the same ""force and passion"" as the US military have shown, yet without violence. Now it's time for the world to stand up and be counted. To show the peaceful, yet FIRM way to resolving seemingly insurmountable problems and bring a more ""democratic"" form of government to that beleagured country. To at last show some effective leadership and shower the people of that beautiful, yet blighted land under Southern skies with humanitarian aid in the form of desperately needed food, health supplies and education. That is the ""pressure"", which will raise the standards of what the citizens of Zimbabwe will and will not tolerate from their brutal dictator. Pressure from within AND without, as with Apartheid South Africa. A more educated, well-fed and healthy population will bring about change naturally and according to the will of the people..... so that eventually ""the people will govern"". Let's fight the ""war for peace"" with passion and with all of our energies. In the ""WAR FOR PEACE"" everyone then benefits (a ""win/win"" situation). I believe, that is the only true way to lasting world peace in living with and acceptance of each other... And so helps make a better world. Let us take courage. The years are passing. The time for decision by all of us to shine that ray of light (and hope) in an often dark world, President Mbeki and the world is NOW.

Craig Lock ""The greatness of a nation consists not so much in the number of it's people or the extent of it's territory as in the extent and justice of it's compassion.""

- Inscription at the Horse Memorial in Port Elizabeth, for horses killed in the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902).

P.S: I am reminded of something Mahatma Gandhi's said not long before he was assassinated: ""When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible; but in the end, they always fall. Think of it, ALWAYS."" ""Love suffers long and is kind. Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. And now abide faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these is love."" 1 Corinthians 13

""When the world is filled with love, people are overflowing with hope."" - Craig Lock

Craig Lock's second novel 'The New Rainbow' is a moving tale of the diverse peoples of South Africa, which is based on fact. Like Alan Paton, Craig Lock reaches to the heart of his troubled ""beloved country"". In his new novel, Lock, perceptively and with an understanding of the historical elements, writes of the situation as it was, as it is, and as perhaps one day it will be, in the New South Africa. 'The New Rainbow' is available at: http://kompuwiz.com/kompustore (click on SoulfulBooks)

""Uplifting, encouraging and empowering people through the power of words and thought energy. Change YOUR world and you change THE world.""

THESE WRITINGS MAY BE FREELY PUBLISHED

About the author: None

Six Important Managerial Skills for Successful Leadership

Author: Barbara White

A mark of a good leader is to be able to provide consistent motivation to his team encouraging them to attain excellence and quality in their performance. A good leader is always looking for ways to improve production and standards. Here are six management skills you can develop as a leader in working to create a quality effective team.

1. Observation This is an important aspect that often gets neglected due the demands on a leader's time and schedule. Observation and regular visits to the work environment are a priority and should be scheduled into the calendar. Observing employees at work, the procedures, interaction and work flow is foundational to implementing adjustments to improve results. To have credibility, a leader needs to be seen and be known to be up to date with what is happening in the work place.

2. Monitor Employee Performance

Employee performance needs to be monitored in mutually accepted ways. Policies and procedures need to be clear. Conferencing should be on a regular basis and not just when there is a problem. Assessments and evaluations should not be merely all formality or viewed a necessary paperwork to be done and filed away. Individual and group conferencing should be undertaken not only to monitor performance, but with the expectation of on going professional development and support. There should be frequent encouragement and clear criteria for on going goals both for the group and individual.

3. Implementation of Professional Development Programs

A good leader evaluates weaknesses and provides training and development strategies to strengthen the weaker skills in the team.

4. Demonstrates Working Knowledge and Expertise

Good leadership comes from a place of strong knowledge and experience of the production and process leading to results. If a leader does not possess all the expertise and knowledge personally, then regular consultations with experts involved in the departments should be held. This is important in order to maintain an accurate and informed overall picture.

5. Good Decision Making

Good leadership is characterized by the ability to make good decisions. A leader considers all the different factors before making a decision. Clear firm decisions, combined with the willingness and flexibility to adapt and adjust decisions when necessary, create confidence in the leadership .

6. Ability to Conduct and Evaluate Research

On going review and research is vital in order to keep on the cutting edge in business. While managing the present to ensure on going excellence in product and performance , a good leader is also able to look towards the future. Conducting and evaluating research is an important way of planning and being prepared for the future.

Excellent leadership is always pro active rather than reactive. By developing these six managerial skills builds a solid foundation for success.

About the author:

Barbara White, of Beyond Better Development has a passion to help others improve their lives, both personally and professionally. Barbara has an extensive background in successful leadership. For more Leadership articles

MLM Success Training- The MLM Success Secrets to SCORCHING MLM Leadership

Author: Doug Firebaugh

by Doug Firebaugh

As far as your Network Marketing business, Let me ask you some questions:

1) What is going to be the driving force in your business in the future?

2) What is going to be the catalyst for taking your business to the next level and beyond?

3) What is going to ignite a success inferno in your business and stoke it every week?

4) What is going to create a downline wildfire of growth in your business?

5) What is going to direct, navigate and guide you through the challenges that lie ahead this year?

These are tough questions and it may take a little time to ponder them. To save time, perhaps I can offer some assistance here -- the answer should be just one word, and one word only for all five questions.

That word is going to be the defining factor in your ultimate success or lack of it. The answer is the kerosene that fuels a fire storm of success in your downline and your life if you let it. It is written on the walls of the successful distributors' hearts, branded in their minds, and reflected in their eyes.

It is the catalyst for higher performance in anything, and can create more success in your business than you ever imagined. I know what I am talking about because it drove my Networking business for over ten years and those of all the successful people I know. It attracts success and wealth like a magnet on steroids, and contains all the secrets of creating wealth in this business.

Anything that has been written about this business points to this enormous power in some way. It worked so well in the organization I was honored to be a part of that, and I've devoted my professional life, through PassionFire International, to taking the message to the industry worldwide.

What is this answer, this message, I'm alluding to? Leadership -- true, pure, unbridled leadership -- the most powerful force in Network Marketing success.

We have a saying at PassionFire: ""Passion is the Secret Weapon to Success, and Leadership is the Secret Weapon to Network Marketing.""

When passion ignites, it can melt anything that gets in its way passionate leadership is like an electric power station with focused, contained power that can explode anything it touches. That's the power that will create new millennium millionaires in this industry. Truly, no amount of instruction, training, or teaching will ever equal the explosive success power of passionate leadership!

I know a lot of well-educated, well-intentioned folks who know the mechanics of this business -- all the right words, phrases and answers that sound great -- but are barely getting by. They have incredible potential, but lack the leadership focus and heart that their downline is starving for in their success journey.

Do you realize your people are looking for MLM leadership? There is nothing sadder in this industry than when an organization that explodes with momentum eventually outgrows the distributor due to lack of leadership, and falls apart, piece by piece, day by day. This happens all the time! But it doesn't have to. In this new millennium, we can change that. To that end, I've changed my understanding of what MLM stands for -- for me, from now on it stands for: Moving Leadership Momentum!

For Moving your business, create Momentum with Leadership! All leaders know how important momentum is in this business -- especially for the new distributor! With passionate leadership, you can create that momentum in your group. The first step is understanding what leadership means in Network Marketing.

Defining Network Marketing Leadership

Leadership is a set of skills, strategies, attitudes, and beliefs that we engage consistently, daily, and fervently for everyone's benefit. To define it specifically for our industry:

Leadership in Network Marketing is boldly taking on the responsibilities and commitments of creating an empowering environment and a path to success that people willingly follow.

Go back and read that one more time and notice how it makes you feel. Are you that kind of leader? Are you doing that for others? Let's take a closer look at that definition... .

The first power word in the definition above is bold. Leaders in this business are willing to step up to the bat, see what has not been seen, think what has not been thought, say what has not been said, and do what has not been done. That is a vivid, technicolor ""word picture"" of Network Marketing leaders. They are bold in their thinking, their vision, their words, and their actions. At PassionFire we teach that BOLD stands for Bringing On Leadership Destiny!

Boldness creates a destiny of success while timidity is like a cancer in this business. Leaders get out on the edge and stay there, empowering others to join them. Are there people who think you can't succeed? Do what you have not done before, think like you have never thought before, and accomplish what you `ve only dreamed before -- it takes bold leadership to show them what's possible in Network Marketing.

Next, note the word responsibility. Leaders understand the weight of responsibility, and do not shirk from it. They know that someone has to take action to make anything happen, and they accept that task willingly. They know what they are responsible for as well as what they are not.

For example, leaders know that ultimately they are not responsible for their distributors' success. They are responsible for educating them to do this business, preparing them for the challenges that might arise, and supporting them along the way, but each distributor must engage and embrace their own success.

It's not unlike being a personal fitness trainer. The trainer can teach her clients how to lift weights, why to lift and when to lift, but they must do the lifting and the grunting. If she lifts the weights for them, she'll get the benefits, not them. They'll lose interest and say, ""Weight lifting doesn't work!"" -- sound familiar? Leaders strive to build permanent downlines always. They are willing to dig the pond, fill it with water, stock it with fish and teach you to fish, but the new distributor must cast the line.

The third power word in this definition of leadership is commitment. Commitment is the cement in the foundation of any successful organization. Committed leaders are magnetic, attracting people to them effortlessly. Why? Because leaders know that commitment is less something said or done than felt. It empowers anyone who comes in contact with them because they can feel it.

We all know people in this industry who are sought after and respected, and almost without fail it is because of their unshakable commitment to success, to their people, and to Network Marketing. You will be forced in this business to do things you don't feel like doing at the time they need doing or with whom they are to be done, but know that it's your commitment in those times that will determine whether you are followed as a leader or eventually ignored.

Next, consider the word create. If I had to choose only one word to define leadership, this would be it. Put simply, leaders are creators -- they create something where there was nothing before. They crystallize the future into a tapestry woven with the threads of dreams, belief, and action.

Leaders create magnetic direction, powerful influence, hope, possibility, and environments for growth. Leaders have the extraordinary ability to see the invisible -- the art of vision. They take a thought, and by sharing it with others and asking their help, bring it into existence. They create compelling visions that people can believe in -- in Network Marketing, it's often that most important of beliefs which can change our lives for the better. The MLM Word CHANGE.

I see change as a sister word of create. Leaders are change agents -- they create positive change in people's lives. They know that change must occur to increase or expand anything. Change creates new directions and perspectives which are what Network Marketing is all about.

Are you starting to see that Network Marketing and leadership are blended so tightly, it's tough to tell them apart sometimes? Leaders don't just accept change, they embrace it for themselves and make it part of their message. The power of their approach is in the choice to embrace rather than accept.

The next vital part of this definition is the concept of an empowering environment. In the same way that our environment on earth determines what grows, what thrives, what lives, and what does none of these, so does the environment you create within your organization affect its growth, stagnation, mediocrity, or decline.

It must encourage and foster hope and possibilities, not hype and impossibilities. It must empower people to maximize their strengths. What creates your leadership environment? Your words, your moods, your actions, your consistency, your expectations, your caring, your beliefs, and your attitudes. Is your environment full of sunshine or dark clouds? Is it full of belief or doubt? Maximum empowerment brings maximum growth.

Near the end of the definition is the term path to success. Leaders provide their people with a clear, engaging, step-by-step path to achievement of their goals. In fact, it's better to think of it not just as a path to success, but also as a part of success. By helping people develop a success awareness -- a mindset of focus and power and possibility from the start -- you give them a chance to succeed at every stage in the process.

You do this by sharing tools and trainings with them and saturating the environment of your organization with expectancy and anticipation! Be out in front -- say ""Come on! You can do it, and I'll show you the way. Few people take the time to celebrate small successes, the unintimidating actions or the seemingly insignificant tasks, but this is one of the most important things you can do for the growth of your organization. It is amazing how recognition and celebration of small victories produce opportunities for celebrating incredible victories.

The final noteworthy phrase above is willingly follow. Do your distributors trust your judgement implicitly? Is it worthy of their trust? Do they follow your lead and promote it to their organizations? New millennium leadership demands and will not settle for anything less than trust between upline and downline. One of the greatest secrets of leadership is that people will be drawn to someone who cares and has the strength to empower that emotion.

People are compelled to follow strength, and I am not just talking about power, but presence with power -- and there is a difference. Lots of managers have power, and use it, but don't have presence. A strong presence is felt, not spoken, and people pick up on it immediately and follow. It works like a magnet in this business.

A leader in this business is someone who is going places and taking excited people with her. You see, people have one question they'll never ask but are always seeking the answer for: Is this person strong enough to help me achieve what I want in life?

This is what I call the ""unspoken determinant,"" and if they assess that the answer is yes, get out your flute, because the Pied Piper has arrived on the scene! Strength in leadership comes from not being sold on the business, but sold out to it! You no longer are in the business, the business is in you! This creates a magnetic presence and personal credibility that people feel compelled to follow.

Together, these elements will create a leadership that can drive any business to the heights of success. It all starts with one word -- decision. Decision is your catalyst for the leadership you've just learned about, the fuse that ignites and creates that power within I call SuccessFire. Decision is the flame that ignites all success in leadership.

Another PassionFire proverb is ""Choice determines Direction Decision determines Destiny."" There is only limited power in the word choice, because it is a selection that can be changed. Decision is a mindset, a ""heart set"" that is steadfast. Let me ask you a new millennium million-dollar question: Have you made a choice to try this business, or a decision to become successful in it? I urge you to lead yourself and your group into the new millennium ignited by the flame of decision -- decide to let the kerosene of leadership explode your business into an inferno!

MLM Leadership Quest.

This brings us to a vital aspect of your personal leadership quest. You must learn to lead you first, before you can lead others. The path to leadership success is built first with bricks of personal leadership, then with group leadership. How can people follow anyone who doesn't display and practice leadership in his own life? You can empower others to boldness, commitment, discipline, and presence only if you display these attributes in your own being.

This is why I mentioned earlier how organizations can outgrow distributors -- it happens! Personal leadership comes from personal growth. If you have made a decision to become the best, and are doing the things necessary to engage success beyond your comfort level, you are displaying and building personal leadership. You don't have to be perfect to be a leader, because ongoing transformation is part of leadership.

Work this business through the eyes of a leader, not just a distributor. There is huge difference! You'll find that the path to success becomes much more easily traveled through the eyes of leadership.

I encourage you to engage in ongoing mlm leadership development for six months -- face to face with a mentor, on a conference call, or in dedicated personal study of the wealth of resources available for the asking. I testify to the impact of this from experience -- you'll cut your attrition in half and your whole organization will feel the dramatic shift in your MLM and Network Marketing.

Blessings...doug

PassionFire intl (c) 2005/ all rights reserved

http://www.passionfire.com

http://www.passionfire.com/pf_heat_8.html

About the author: Doug Firebaugh is one of the top MLM Network Marketing Trainers in the world. Over a million people a month read his training ezine. He spent the last 7 years traveling the world speaking and training on Success. He lives in Birmingham Michigan, and you can receive a FREE subscription to his training ezine- The MLM Success HEAT- at: http://www.passionfire.com/pf_heat_4.html http://www.passionfire.com

What Katrina Can Teach Us About Leadership

Author: Kevin Eikenberry

Over one week ago a major disaster hit part of the Gulf Coast of the United States. I have been reflecting on the disaster, the response to it, and what lessons we can draw about leadership.

Don't worry this isn't a political piece...

Lesson 1 - Leadership is important. Much has been made that areas weren't as prepared as they could have been. Leaders could have changed that. Many have said that the initial response (at all levels from local to the Federal Government) wasn't perfect. Leadership can improve that in the future.

Lesson 2 - Leadership can come from everyone. Not just those with a title, but everyone can lead. Thousands of stories of heroism, and leadership are coming out of these events. Not all of them are stories of people wearing a badge or a official title. We can all use our leadership abilities.

Lesson 3 - Remarkable leaders know that blame takes too much energy. In recent days it seems that the focus of the ""story"" of the disaster has changed from the disaster to who did what wrong and how it could have been done better. Let's be clear. This was a disaster of monumental proportions. Could things have gone better? Of course. Was the way things were handled a travesty? No. Will blaming and pointing fingers at others solve the problem now? Absolutely not. Every ounce of energy being spent in blame and ""Monday Morning Quarterbacking"" is an ounce of energy better spent on meeting the vast challenges that still exist. Which leads to...

Lesson 4 - Remarkable leaders focus on solutions, not problems. Rather than looking at what is wrong, they look at creative ways to make it better. Remarkable leaders know that when they are point a finger at others, four times as many fingers are pointing back at them. They take responsibility, and focus on solutions.

Lesson 5 - Remarkable leaders know when to reflect and when to act. Will there be a time to look back and learn from the failures in processes, procedures, and responsibilities used during the time immediately following the storm? Yes. Will there be people that may need to be held accountable for some of those decisions and actions? Of course. I just don't think that time is now. A study and review will be commissioned, I'm sure, as it should be. Leave that learning for then.

My bottom line? I believe that right now, leaders of all sorts, from township supervisors, to mayors, to state legislators, to those in government agencies, to Congress, to the White House, need to look forward and work together to meet the many challenges we will face for months. There is a time for reflecting and a time for action. Now is the time to look forward.

In your own leadership development keep this in mind. Remind yourself of these lessons.

About the author: Over one week ago a major disaster hit part of the Gulf Coast of the United States. I have been reflecting on the disaster, the response to it, and what lessons we can draw about leadership.

Powerful Leadership: An end result of effective leadership training

Author: Dr. Richard L. Williams

Most of us have experienced both effective and ineffective leaders. It's not uncommon in today's business climate for leaders to be evaluated or even judged by the extent to which they are able to unite followers in a common cause. As management consultant Roger Tunks of Lake Oswego, Oregon once described it, "Leaders must develop the skills necessary to get followers to follow." In other words, a leader's effectiveness is largely determined by his or her ability to create an environment wherein others can be successful, both individually, and as a united team.

This, unfortunately, is contrary to some leaders' belief that being successful is being powerful, or receiving respect, or controlling others, or being feared, or being visible. And some leaders believe that their primary purpose is short-term impact to the bottom line.

Clearly, an effective leader must be able to unite his or her followers to work toward common goals. And it would be foolish to ignore the fact that leaders must be able to at least sustain or improve the bottom line. How to do this has been the discussion for many articles and books for decades. In this article I would like to focus on two important aspects of being an effective leader: an understanding of where leadership authority comes from, and how to gain the organizational power necessary to make things happen, such as getting followers to follow.

Unfortunately, most discussions I've heard and read on leadership power and authority haven't made the important distinction between the two topics. It's not uncommon, for example, to see power and authority used as synonyms. Indeed, they are quite different in both source and effect. A leader's authority is defined by his or her title or position in the organization. The authority of a vice president, for example, is different than the authority of a department manager. Leadership power, on the other hand, is the ability to accomplish things, or get things done through others. A department manager's power is what he or she can accomplish through the workers in the department. In most situations, a specific title such as "manager" gives a leader a certain amount of organizational power. That usually is the result of what organizational psychologists refer to as "title respect." Unfortunately, title respect does not engender enough power to enable a leader to be effective by itself. If you've been in management for a while, you have probably seen someone promoted to management who thought that merely being a manager was enough to make him or her effective. It's not; it takes more than a title to be an effective leader.

So, leadership authority is a title or position and typically comes from your boss, while leadership power comes from other workers in the organization who enable you to become effective. In a successful organization, leadership power is actually more important than leadership authority. That's interesting because most people work hard to obtain a title, thinking it will automatically give them the power they want to function within the organization. To maximize effectiveness, leaders must learn how and when to use their authority (title), and more importantly, how to grow their power through others to achieve the goals.

Now that you know that leadership authority is a position or title that is delegated to you by your boss or the organization, the next step is to understand what you can do to increase you leadership influence through leadership training and development. That, in turn, will increase your overall effectiveness as a leader in the organization.

Three leadership training topics to consider that will greatly increase your leadership power and skills are: (1) communication skills, (2) influence skills, and (3) character development. The first category involves how well you communicate with others. You can be more powerful by improving both the quantity and quality of communication you give to others. Many of these techniques, especially those regarding feedback, were explained in previous articles in this column. Your body language, open and friendly, verses closed and unfriendly, is also a major part of how you communicate. Be sure to be aware of how you come across to other people.

Your natural communication style sends messages to others indicating whether you are easily approachable, or unapproachable. The more approachable you appear to others improves the amount of power those people will give you.

When you express your appreciation for the contributions of others, either verbally or in writing, you also gain power. It's also important to make sure that credit is always given to the persons responsible for the contribution. How soon and in what manner you communicate these messages either adds to or takes away from your power.

The second category is ensuring that your followers have some degree of influence in how things are done in the workplace. Dr. David McClelland of Harvard once said, "The greatest hunger of the human soul is to some influence in how the work is done." If having some element of influence in the workplace is so important, we should delegate it. Along with soliciting influence, leaders should also ensure that their followers participate in appropriate decision making. This will increase follower buy-in to changes and increase your power at the same time.

The third category involves your leadership character. It's been said that character can't be coached, but I know from personal experience that each of us can yet improve aspects our character. Some dimensions of a leader's character that generate power are: trustworthiness, honesty, integrity, respecting others (and yourself), not spreading rumors, and being considerate and friendly.

A grocery manager once asked me what one thing she could do that would help her get promoted to store manager. She felt she had enough years of experience and had worked in a number of different stores and was ready for promotion, but was always passed up. I could have chosen a number of possible answers. But I explained to her that she had a tendency to get things done by herself, rather than getting things accomplished through the efforts of her staff. She poorly delegated and as a result, lacked the respect of the grocery staff. I suggested that she focus on improving her power as a leader because that would improve her effectiveness. When her effectiveness improved she would be in a better position for promotion. That's how important organizational power is. How's your personal leadership power? What leadership training do you need to drive yourself and your organization to the next level?

If you would like more information on leadership training , please contact one of our team members at (888)262-2499. You can also visit our website to learn more about our products, services, research, and the multinational organizations we have served over the past three decades.

Reference this article to receive a 50% discount on any of our books or 15% off your first scheduled training event.

About the author: Dr. Richard L. Williams is a retail consultant specializing in leadership training , performance coaching, and organizational development.

To speak with Dr. Williams or to schedule him for your upcoming event, please contact our team at (888)262-2499.

Be The Full Jigsaw! How to Solve the Leadership Jigsaw

Author: Alan Cutler

BE THE FULL JIGSAW! How To Solve the Leadership Puzzle

By Alan Cutler, Leadership Writer, Speaker and Mentor

"There is no such thing as a perfect leader, either in the past or present, in China or elsewhere. If there is one, he is only pretending, like a pig inverting spring onions into his nose in an effort to look like an elephant". Liu Shao-Chi

It may be true that there is no such thing as the perfect leader – leaders are human, after all. However, that is not to say that people who hold leadership positions should not continually seek to improve their leadership skills.

Some managers hardly set an example for others to follow. They may have a badge on their office door or overall that pronounces them 'Head of Service'; 'Area Manager'; or 'Unit Supervisor' but do these 'badge holders' display all the necessary qualities to inspire others to follow them? It is unlikely that people are promoted to senior positions without any leadership skills, but they may lack one or more essential ones.

In order to measure managers' leadership capabilities we need to identify what are the essential qualities of an effective leader. In my view they are six in number:

? A Leader is a visionary ? A Leader sets an example ? A Leader understands what motivates each team member ? A Leader builds supportive relationships ? A Leader empowers others to reach their potential ? A Leader understands the power of communications

These are the six components that each leader must work hard at continually and consistently applying and, most importantly, demonstrating in all he or she does. Think of it as a jigsaw – The Leadership Jigsaw®

Unless all six pieces are in place, the leader will not achieve his or her potential, nor will those looking to following their leader. No one aspiring to lead a high-performing team can do so if they are 'one piece short of a jigsaw'! Let's consider each piece in a little more detail.

VISION. Leadership involves taking people on a journey, but if people are to follow it must not be a journey into the unknown. Such destinations may work for Captain Kirk of the Starship Enterprise but they will not work for modern-day leaders with their feet placed firmly on terra-firma! A person holding a leadership position without a clear vision, or the ability to communicate one effectively, will be heading into darkness (probably alone!).

Creating a vision must, by its very nature, be one of the foremost roles of a leader – as it sets a positive theme for the future. A leader's vision – which he or she personally associates themselves with – should appeal to people at an emotional level, as well as a practical one. It should be meaningful, relevant and inspirational: encouraging people to buy into it willingly. When leaders express their vision in a way that touches their followers, they invite strong commitment: a common purpose that focuses people on a shared, mutually beneficial objective.

"A leader shapes and shares a vision which gives point to the work of others" Charles Handy

EXAMPLE. One of the most important and effective qualities leaders can display is consistently and visibly to link the values they stand for with their everyday actions. Indeed, consistency and visibility are the keys. People respect and follow leaders whose behaviour mirrors their words; they have no respect for leaders who say one thing and do another. "Do as I say, not as I do" is simply not good enough.

Leaders should, therefore, look hard into the mirror and consider what they see. They should ask themselves: "Do I lead in such a way that I would willingly follow myself? Do I consistently demonstrate leadership qualities that I would recognise in leaders that I, myself, respect?" You can be sure of one thing: you may not be continually assessing your performance as a leader, but your followers will be! They will be watching your every move and taking a lead from you.

The leaders acts as though everyone is watching, even when no-one is watching" Brian Tracy

MOTIVATION. Having a vision is one thing: selling it in a way that others want to realise it is quite another. The leader's role is to focus the energies of followers on shared goals and to encourage them to achieve those goals. Yet everybody is different and responds to different stimuli. Truly great leaders understand their followers: they understand their needs, their dreams, their fears, their emotions – what 'makes them tick'. It is an understanding of the impact of differing needs on different people that is vital for effective leadership.

One of the greatest motivators is to believe that you are contributing to your team's success and, hence, to the success of the overall vision. People need to believe that they are playing their part and successful leaders ensure that they receive the recognition their efforts deserve. In my experience of working with junior managers across the country, a belief that they are not valued for their efforts is one of the most commonly found demotivators.

"Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it" Dwight D Eisenhower

RELATIONSHIP. It is axiomatic that a leader needs followers – a team of people working together towards a common aim. To be effective, a team working across an organisation requires supportive relationships not only between leader and followers, but between followers themselves. A culture of trust must exist between all members, at all levels, with the leader providing the shining example for all to follow.

Notwithstanding the fundamental changes forced upon organisations in recent years (down-sizing and delegated budgets for example) some departments are still led by 'badge-holders' who busy themselves interfering in the work of their subordinates; are unwilling to share information; and insist on sanctioning every decision. Yet if the modern leader's challenge is to make optimum use of fewer resources (and it is!) this will only happen if people are encouraged to participate in an open, positive environment based upon mutually-supportive relationships. 'Mushroom management' must be replaced by a culture where everyone is prepared to give and receive trust.

"All your strength is in your union. All your danger is in discord" Henry Longfellow The Song of Hiawatha

EMPOWERMENT. Enlightened leaders understand that most people naturally want to better themselves and, given the appropriate support and encouragement, will grasp the opportunity to acquire new skills and knowledge. They also realise that the key to getting the best out of people is to give them responsibility for their own actions, rather than creating an environment of control and mistrust.

Such leaders are willing to delegate aspects of their role to their subordinates when the situation allows and, moreover, are prepared to empower them to take decisions themselves, within parameters, without recourse to higher authority.

Empowerment is based upon the belief that, given the opportunity, people are preordained to think for themselves and will generate ideas that benefit their workplace, their organisation and, hence, by extension – themselves. Following orders robotically produces robots; allowing invention and inspiration produces ideas and a pride in individual and team achievements.

"Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you will help them to become what they are capable of being" Goethe

COMMUNICATION. Whilst all those holding the badge of leadership, without exception, would preach the importance of effective communications, not all practice what they preach. But, yet again, it is the leader who should lead the way by his or her example.

Productive communications are built upon understanding between all parties. A leader who is prepared to get out and 'walk the talk' will be in a far better position to both reinforce the vision, and hear how it is being received, than one who remains desk-bound. There are few more potent motivating actions a leader can take than to make the effort to speak to front-line workers and to ask "how are things going?", and mean it!

We live in the 'communication age'. Yet with the previously unimaginable powers now at our fingertips come inherent dangers. Communications is not only about the 'what' – just as important is the 'how'. Wise leaders balance the efficiency of technology with the impact of the human touch. They are well aware that they cannot shake a hand, pat a back, or even smile via email!

"A leader is someone who knows what she wants to achieve and how to communicate it" Margaret Thatcher

THE MESSAGE? The message is that true leaders need to be proficient in a wide range of essential skills that can be represented by The Leadership Jigsaw. Those holding leadership positions should measure themselves against this model of excellence to ensure that they are not 'one piece short of a jigsaw'.

The Leadership Jigsaw is a model of leadership best practice created by Alan Cutler, a leadership writer, motivational speaker and mentor. For more details of how Alan can develop the leadership skills of your managers see www.leadershiptalks.com, or contact him on alan@leadershiptalks.com. Full details of The Leadership Jigsaw are contained in his book, 'One Piece Short of a Jigsaw', obtainable from www.leadershiptalks.com

About the author: Alan Cutler is a leadership writer, motivational speaker and mentor with over thirty years experience of leading teams, including sixteen years as a commissioned officer in the Royal Air Force. Contact him at alan@leadershiptalks.com or www.leadershiptalks.com

Award for a Leadership Development Program

Author: Chris Stowell

Why do organizations come together every year at the 2005 Excellence Fair held by the Professional Association for Computer Training?

It is because something worked well for an organization and valuable information needs to be shared. This year at the 2005 Excellence Fair it was Cargill, the international food provider (located in over 59 countries), that was recognized for their Transition into Leadership curriculum that helps employees transition into leadership roles.

So, what is it about Cargill's leadership curriculum that has led to such great success? It began when Cargill recognized that great team members also make great leaders. But, the insights, skills, and vision needed to be an effective leader must be developed, practiced, and learned over time.

As such, the focus of Cargill's leadership development program is to provide new and aspiring leaders with the skills required to confront the challenges and opportunities that a leadership role entails. In the program, aspiring and new leaders learn how to guide, empower, and assist the efforts of others towards greater success. These newly developed leaders are instructed on how to lead people, make a difference in their work, and fulfill leadership expectations. So how is this leadership development program different from all of the others? This program provides new leaders with the key tools for leading effectively, while at the same time making the program specific to the development needs of each attendee. Most programs on the market do not focus on the transformation process aspiring leaders must go through to maximize their effectiveness.

The Transition into Leadership curriculum was designed to:

? Introduce the best ideas and practices in leadership today

? Identify the significant differences between leadership and management

? Determine the participants own leadership strengths and areas for improvement

? Develop and practice sound leadership skills and abilities

? Learn "best practices" through close affiliation with other Cargill leaders

? Communicate effectively and reinforce, mission, goals, and vision

? Take accountability for business results and team member development

? Embrace change and challenge the comfort zone of team members

Cargill's leadership development program places great importance on their employees and know that they are the key part of a successful future. As a result they seek the best programs in order to create development opportunities for their employees and leaders around the world.

Cargill selected CMOE to partner with them in the development and implementation of the Transition into Leadership program. At the Center for Management and Organization Effectiveness we have been helping Cargill to create, develop and implement their Transition into Leadership program and fulfill a variety of training needs.

The past 27 years CMOE has been instrumental in designing leadership development programs for multinational organizations. We help our clients improve the leaders of today and help create the leaders of tomorrow.

About the author: Chris Stowell is the International Manager at CMOE.

If you would like to learn more about Transition into Leadership and other lea dership development programs please contact CMOE toll free at (888)262-2499

Three Building Blocks of Leadership

Author: Kenneth Strong

Three Building Blocks of Leadership

By: Kenneth Strong

It's not enough to declare that your selected candidate for promotion to supervisor is now a "leader." You must provide him or her with three essential building blocks. And by the way, if you are the one being asked to take on the additional responsibility of leadership you should insist on having the same three building blocks:

Authority

After this time I surpassed all others in authority, but I had no more power than the others who were also my colleagues in office. - Augustus Caesar

Authority includes the personnel, money and materials that go beyond the title supervisor or manager. Your authority includes the sole determination of how the above assets are utilized or expended conducting the business of your department, section, area of responsibility or company. Your staff must be absolutely certain that you are in charge and your decisions won't be reversed by your supervisor, within reason, baring anything unlawful or immoral.

If you aren't given the decision making authority, don't take the job. Having the authority to complete a job is very satisfying. Remember that your authority also means taking responsibility when things go wrong.

You are given the authority to perform your duties and responsibilities because of your supervisor's confidence and trust in your abilities.

Responsibility

While an open mind is priceless, it is priceless only when its owner has the courage to make a final decision that closes the mind for action after the process of viewing all sides of the question has been completed. Failure to make a decision after due consideration of all the facts will quickly brand a man as unfit for a position of responsibility. Not all of your decisions will be correct. None of us is perfect. But if you get into the habit of making decisions, experience will develop your judgment to a point where more and more of your decisions will be right. After all, it is better to be right 51% of the time and get something done, than it is to get nothing done because you fear to reach a decision. - H. W. Andrews

This is the lonely part of leadership; every decision you make you make alone. While you want to have input from staff members and others as may be necessary but you will evaluate all the data and advice and ultimately make the decision alone. Leaders are responsible for making the hard decisions no one else wants to make or can make. Once you implement your decision everyone suddenly knows the correct answer. You have now opened yourself to criticism from every possible direction. You may even begin to second guess yourself-don't. The decision you made was based on available information and in the best interests of the organization.

You always have the option of adjusting the decision as its consequences develop. As a leader you make decisions knowing that they may be wrong but you take that risk where others won't. You and you alone have the responsibility for making the decision. So make your decision with confidence and above all, trust yourself.

Accountability

The major way of doing anything with one's self is to own one's self. This means to take full responsibility and accountability for whatever I am doing at any moment, with anybody. It means, among other things, that I get rid of all the extra fingers that I point at people and situations to explain my behavior. When a person says ""He made me mad"" that is not accurate. It is ""I made me mad."" When I permit myself the luxury of taking that full responsibility, then I'm on first base, at least, because then I can do something about it. - W. W. Broadbent, MD, PhD - Accountability simply put means you own it. The military teaches this concept better that any organization I know. It works like this. You are assigned a task; there are two possible outcomes, you succeed or fail. If you succeed, congratulations and move on. If you fail there is no excuse for failing, you just didn't get it done. This short conversation sounds like this; Yes, Sir, No, Sir and No Excuse, Sir. The young leader learns very quickly that he or she is totally accountable for everything his or her unit does or fails to do.

I guarantee you will only make an excuse once.

Your reputation as a leader will be determined by how accountable you are in your daily business practices. By holding yourself accountable for all your actions and those of your department you will be way ahead of your contemporaries. It is an easy way to get noticed in a positive way.

Accountability is not just for the big stuff; it also important for the casual daily things. For example: You tell a colleague that you can't meet with him at the moment but will call him in an hour. Make sure you call him in an hour. Or you are scheduled to attend a meeting at 10:00 AM. Show up at 9:55 AM not 10:05 AM. Feel free to use this article, in your publications, in its entirety provided you include the following notice: © Copyright 2004, Lighthouse CCUNIV Publications, Ltd., Lakeville, Massachusetts, USA (except as otherwise indicated). Lighthouse Continuing Care University is a servicemark Lighthouse CCUNIV Publications, Ltd. http://www.ccuniv.org

About the author: Kenneth E. Strong, Jr., MS, is President and founder of Lighthouse CCUNIV Publication, Ltd., www.ccunivpub.com. He is the founder of Lighthouse Continuing Care University http://www.ccuniv.org a web based community devoted to educating, supporting and developing, supervisors, managers, line staff and trustees of Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Skilled Nursing Facilities

The Art Of Leadership

Author: Ron Fory

The art of leadership is sought by virtually everyone. It is claimed by many, defined by a few, and exercised by the unheralded, depending on the source you use. In fact, we know a lot about leadership; it is the application of leadership that creates confusion for most.

In spite of all the leadership texts, containing a veritable plethora of theories about leadership (each of which is THE KEY), leadership remains a very individual concept, exercised in many diverse yet successful ways. Indeed, successful application always results in leadership. Unsuccessful application is invariably counter-productive. So, is this another theory? No, but I will share with you some of my observations about where to look for leadership. It's my belief that although we may not be able to define it very precisely, we can recognize it when we see it.

We know that there are people called ""formal leaders"" and ""informal leaders"" in some of the literature. I am not going to talk about those ""formal leaders,"" because they are by definition occupying positions of authority (i.e., a supervisory position) and that is their sole claim to leadership. ""Informal leaders,"" on the other hand, exercise leadership from positions not formally designated for leadership, thus causing a problem for the organization. How the informal leader arises is curious, but it can often be caused by the lack of leadership in the ""formal"" position. But that doesn't mean that the ""great man"" theory takes place (that's the one that says when a crisis occurs and there's no one prepared to deal with it, someone will rise to the occasion and deal with it). Why is someone not in a leadership position given authority by the group in which they work to exercise leadership?

There are, of course, several answers to that question, so let's examine some of them. It may be that the one who is the leader is a confident (at least confidently-acting) person with a bit of charisma, thus one who offers logical answers to questions from the group, and who may have the ability to demonstrate that they have good ideas. We often see this in groups that begin by discussing particular problems; if no one is specifically ""in charge,"" the leader who emerges is often the person who demonstrates the most passion about the topic.

Or, they may simply be someone who is impatient for action, and goads others into a particular action that appears to achieve some common goals. In this case, the group tends to rally behind the ""visionary."" Sometimes, the visionary doesn't have much of a vision, but that doesn't mean they aren't capable of pursuing one (or of having one in the first place).

Another possibility is that one of this group recognizes that things can be done in a way to benefit everyone involved, much like the development of John Nash's gaming theory (the basis for the movie, ""A Beautiful Mind""). The concern is not for the betterment, enrichment or even recognition of the leader, rather for the achievement of group goals, including the entire organization.

When we find this leader of the latter sort, John Collins, in his book Good to Great, calls them ""Level 5"" leaders. They are the ones who are passionate about achievement of the whole, not of themselves individually. These leaders aren't heralded, because they don't blow their own horns. They are too busy working toward meaningful goals to be distracted by something so counter-productive. Yet they do some particular things that we can see ""proves"" their leadership. Some of those things are where I'd like to focus this discussion.

Leaders who are passionate about their vision (they ALWAYS have a vision), are careful to make sure everyone in the organization knows what that vision is. They will indoctrinate everyone so that it is not simply a vision, but a tangible part of the environment, so much so that it will go home with employees at night. Everything that flows, then, is a reflection of that vision, because the vision becomes the beacon that guides the actions of everyone in the organization.

Those leaders know their people well: their personalities, their histories, their passions. The leader knows them because of the leadership involved in attracting and retaining the right people to ""get the job done."" They reach back to the theory of W. Edwards Deming, not necessarily for Statistical Process Control techniques (although they are valuable), but for Deming's ""14 Points,"" one of which is to insure adequate and continuous training. If the right people are in the job and they are given the resources to get the job done, cheerleading is a waste of time, because these workers already get out of bed in the morning excited about going to work. Motivation? It's boiling inside each one of them, and they don't need slogans or mantras, or group meetings to cheer about history, because the ""self-actualized"" person is also self-motivated. They know their jobs, they know what's expected of them, and they know that they have a responsibility to the rest of the employees to do the best job they possibly can. One reason that happens is that the individual has been involved in development of their job and their responsibilities for that job, they've been informed about how their job fits into the overall scheme, and they are intimately involved in changes that occur in the company. Revolutionary? No, it's been in the books for decades.

When leaders develop this kind of employee and the managers to supervise those employees, they are freed up to do the visionary tasks: keeping the goal in sight, and making the course corrections necessary when changing conditions require them. Tweaking is a skill these leaders have that is taught in no school, which makes it that much more valuable.

In my history is a ten-year stint as a division controller for a manufacturing firm. The division manager was a true visionary, who brought the division from a lackluster, poorly motivated, money losing operation to an energetic, proud organization that had attained ISO 9000 certification on its way to becoming profitable as well. Over those ten years, I watched that manager steadfastly steer the division in the direction his vision so clearly defined. Not all of his actions were exactly right, but that didn't keep us from learning from them. And the division became a model for the corporation, while the division manager became a regional manager so his skills could be used in other divisions as well. He had learned that putting the team together was his biggest job, but once that was done, the team drove the progress. He simply got out of the way. His time was not spent showing what he'd done, it was spent in providing the tools to the team members so they could get where he wanted faster. If he needed to do something that should be done by one of the team members, that team member was, by definition, unnecessary, and was eliminated. That doesn't mean that mistakes weren't tolerated, nor that effort wasn't made to insure the team member was adequately placed and trained. But when it became obvious that change was necessary, it occurred quickly and cleanly. It was truly a joy to work there, but especially to observe that unsung leadership in action.

There are some things we as individuals can do, if we want to develop our own leadership:

1. Keep focused on the primary goal for your company. Never let yourself be distracted from that.

2. Surround yourself not with those who only agree with you, but with the right people for the job you need done, then train them and provide them the tools to do the job.

3. Recognize the benefits of having different personalities around you. Not only do separate skill sets come with different personalities, but different approaches that are essential to your company's success.

4. Having hired the right people, get out of their way. If you must micromanage them, you don't need them. This is not a big problem, however, since they won't stay anyway, if you treat them with so little respect.

5. Remember always to consult your feedback loop in all your processes, to make sure things are working as you expect, and that you can make appropriate changes timely. Failure to do this with hasten the failure of your organization in total. Recall that your feedback loop is only as valuable as the people from whom you get feedback. Listen to them.

6. Know when you have exceeded your limitations, and acknowledge it. Then get help to overcome it.

Each of us has the capability to be a leader. We will only become effective leaders, however, when we lose our fear of making mistakes, and share responsibility for achievement of the goals of the organization. If those goals are our individual measures of achievement, then the organization will work to succeed and achieve; if they are not, we will be the transient leader that gets things going, but fails by failing to share credit and push for only the good of the organization.

Dare to achieve.

About the author: Ron Fory is an instructor and trainer for The Leader's Institute, http://www.leadersinstitute.com, and specializes in public speaking and leadership development. Ron can be reached at 1-800-872-7830 x105.

Tired of the endless theories on leadership? Discover the easy route to leadership with Mind Mapping

Author: Vj Mariaraj

Far too long the myth remained that 'leaders are born and not made'; but this is no longer true as it has been proved that leadership is very much a learned art as much as it might be inherited. The business administration institutes do churn out MBA's by the scores. You might be a competent manager, but leadership is a different issue from management. It is about leading and inspiring people to great performance. It involves having a clear vision, which will be enthusiastically shared by people working under you.

Leadership need not be taught; it can be learned greatly through direct experience, and equally by working and preparing ourselves for the role. As in all cases, being a self-starter always imbues in you a great deal of motivation to sustain and work to attain your ultimate goals.

To work on acquiring leadership skills there are certain basics that you will have to follow. The first requirement to building the requisite leadership traits in you is to understand the meaning of effective leadership. A clear knowledge of the elements of leaderships will help you in working towards the objective. You will then need to make a thorough analysis of your self to unravel your inner you. Once you gain clear insights about yourself, you will know your areas of strengths and weaknesses. You can then build on your strengths, tackle your weaknesses, develop self-confidence and a dynamic attitude to become a balanced and successful leader.

Equally important is being a visionary and forming a clear and robust vision of how the future should be, which others will eagerly adopt, partake and implement. Inspiring people on your vision and enthusing them to their optimum performance are vital aspects of leadership.

Leadership is also about having unceasing self-confidence and the power to instill it in others. It concerns with having necessary expertise and a robust track record of achievement that will earn the respect, trust and value of your peers and team members. Making right decisions even under pressure situations, building a highly effective team, forging trusting relationships amongst team members and dealing in a firm and fair way are other basics for powerful leadership.

In all these, Mind Maps are of great value in that they help in systematically leading you through the process of achievement. Beginning with formulating elements of leadership, to making a self-enquiry into your true self, Mind Maps serve as an effective method to list them in detail. Besides, associations and creativity - elements that are inherent to Mind Maps - lend greater emotional depth to our understanding and progress to cultivating leadership traits.

Also in framing appropriate vision, in making correct decisions and assessing and picking the right team for the right job, Mind Mapping can be a useful and indispensable device. They help you to monitor your progress and provide you the needed motivation to stay on course. Mind Mapping is the simplest technique to kindle you into action, provide creative solutions and help plan and execute various steps to gaining inspiring leadership traits. Mind Maps offer a comprehensive view, while aiding you to tackle different segments thoroughly.

Indeed Mind Maps are the easiest route to reach your destination. You have to learn the Mind Mapping method to realize its true value. How about taking your first step forward now?

About the author: About the Author: Dr. Vj Mariaraj is a Mind Map enthusiast and has been using Mind Maps for the past twelve years. He has created over 5650 Mind Maps. To learn more about mind mapping send an email to freemindmap@aweber.com . He is the founder of BusinessBookMindMap.com that creates Mind Map Summaries of Business Books. To learn more visit http://BusinessBookMindMap.com/mind-map.php?ga16

Leadership Training: Is Discretionary Effort the Primary Objective of All Leaders?

Author: Steve Nielsen

With the constant challenges and pressures faced by managers around the world today, it can be difficult to determine where to focus our time and energy. We must lead our teams, provide our customers with outstanding service, increase the strength of our brand, and in many cases accomplish all this and more with fewer resources. Okay, perhaps we should fly the white flag and give up now.

No, surrender isn't necessary; but increased understanding and application of the principles of leadership is. As members of management teams, we must ensure that we must are carrying out our responsibilities as managers (e.g., taking care of processes, machinery, things) and perhaps more importantly, as leaders who are responsible for the people on our teams. One of the ways we can accomplish these objectives is to tap into the discretionary effort that every member of every team possesses.

Discretionary effort is the level of performance above that which is required for the team member to maintain their employment. It is an employee's desire to go beyond the collecting of a salary. It is a willingness to be interested and involved in assisting the organization in the accomplishment of corporate goals. Essentially, it's what every one of us is able to do with regard to our jobs and in support of our organizations/corporations that we don't have to contribute to keep our jobs.

If we all agree that discretionary effort exists in every member of every team and that it would benefit us, how do we, as leaders, tap into the discretionary effort that all members of our teams possess? One way is to understand and practice transformational and transactional leadership styles.

Transformational leadership has been extensively researched and written about by Bernard M. Bass (distinguished professor emeritus of management and director of the Center of Leadership Studies at Binghamton University). Leaders who are effective in this area create an environment where team members can contribute new ideas. These leaders strive to treat each team member as partners. By so doing, they increase their team members' understanding of issues faced by their organizations, they help employees rise above self-interests to be more interested in the good of the whole team and/or organization; and inspire them to work even harder than they may have expected.

The other leadership style that dovetails very effectively with transformational leadership in the pursuit of discretionary effort is transactional leadership dimensions. Leaders who are effective in this area influence members of their teams to behave and perform in desired ways through the productive use of rewards or some other benefit desired by the team member. These behaviors include courage, integrity, humility, etc. When transformational leadership is used together with transactional leadership, we can be even more effective as leaders and managers.

How can we be more effective leaders by tapping into the discretionary effort of our team members? By understanding and being more effective in our daily application of our transformational and transactional leadership behaviors and skills. To do this we must engage in a lifelong journey of leadership training , learning, and growth. Read articles on these subjects, seek out those in our networks who have exhibited strong abilities in tapping into discretionary effort and utilizing transformational and transactional leadership, and participating in personal development opportunities.

CMOE (Center for Management & Organization Effectiveness) has several courses that we have created or can customize for your leadership training needs. Several of the courses focus on the qualities and behaviors of leaders such as courage, integrity, humility, conviction and accountability. We also deal with the skills of collaboration, alignment, communication and enabling. Gaining a deeper understanding of these leadership training elements and how they can be applied in every day situations will increase our abilities to help each member of our teams realize the benefits of sharing their discretionary effort. Other leadership courses share the behaviors and skills that can help us become effective coaches, which personal experience has proven is a key method in helping employees increase their understanding of where they fit and why that fit matters.

Our opportunity to travel far on our leadership journey can be increased through effective understanding of and tapping into the discretionary effort possessed by every employee at every level of every organization. Best wishes on your journey!

About the author: Steve Nielsen is a former director of the FedEx Leadership Institute and has over 28 years of experience in the area of Operations, Organizational Development, and Leadership Training.

For more information about CMOE contact a Regional Manager at (888)262-2499.

Why education & work experiences are an effective leadership development program

Author: Stephanie Tuia & CMOE

Reflect back to your education and to as recent as the previous job you held. Ask yourself how you have reached your current level of leadership and how your skills have developed over time. During this time, you were most likely exposed to a number of activities and experiences that evolved into your own personal lea dership development program . Many of these skills and learning developed over time can be applied to your current workplace. Let's look at how you can make the most out of past experiences and apply them to your current work situation.

PAST - BEING A PART OF A TEAM

You may have been a part of a basketball team, a support group, or a local community effort. This type of active involvement helps to fine tune leadership skills such as delegating, empowering team members, and learning to communicate effectively. Being associated with 'teams' gives an individual a chance to be a part of something, work together among counterparts, and contribute to a shared interest.

CURRENT - APPLYING EXPERIENCES TO WORK

By experiencing a team environment outside of work, you have the opportunity to share many skills and capabilities that will take your people and organization to the next level. As other team members become leaders within your organizations, they will also recall past experiences and what it means to fulfill a selfless work ethic and build healthy relations among work associates. Good leaders will not segregate themselves away from their subordinates, but involve themselves fairly among a workload, and help lead and guide others from their personal leadership development program.

PAST - TAKING OWNERSHIP

Deciding what we want to do with our life (continue school, find a career, or start a business) is when many of us first experienced a true sense of ownership. At some point there was a discovery that really piqued your potential interest. Through a variety of educational classes, job searching, or through trial and error, you narrowed your focus to the best fit or option; then came learning for the experience of others.

CURRENT - APPLYING EXPERIENCES TO WORK

As an apprentice we learned many tricks of the trade by shadowing our mentors or being observant or passionate about their work. Now as mentors, we need to focus on instructing or guiding others to learn effective and efficient work skills to provide credible and productive results for the organization. Law, medical and business schools are prime examples of educating students so that they can take ownership of their profession and eventually contribute to their field.

PAST - STAYING AHEAD OF THE COMPETITION

After formal education, many people are optimistic and confident that they will get the ""dream job"" fresh out of college. Like hundreds of thousands of students graduating at the same time, you compete against qualifying candidates as well as experienced professionals vying for the same job. The job outlook at the time was probably overwhelming and sometimes frustrating, but your competitive circumstances kept you driven to contend among your counterparts and stay ahead of the competition.

CURRENT - APPLYING EXPERIENCES TO WORK

In our day to day work environment, we must also be competitive to stay ahead of the competition. Through positive encouragement, thinking strategically, and feeling the drive to compete will help us stay ahead. For some it may be of value to provide a lea dership development program that will increase an individual's work potential. This will keep them ahead of the game and help them to be on top of the competition.

Every team provides leadership opportunities for the individuals. By being cognizant of how personal leadership development programs the above three benefits, it will give us the opportunity to help individuals develop leadership qualities essential to beating the competition in our fierce business environment.

About the author: Stephanie Tuia and the CMOE Development team have collaborated in

content writing for CMOE. If you would like more information about a lea dership development program for your organization, please contact us toll free at 888-262-2499.

The Art of Leadership

Author: Ron Fory

By Ron Fory, The Leader's Institute

The art of leadership is sought by virtually everyone. It is claimed by many, defined by a few, and exercised by the unheralded, depending on the source you use. In fact, we know a lot about leadership; it is the application of leadership that creates confusion for most.

In spite of all the leadership texts, containing a veritable plethora of theories about leadership (each of which is THE KEY), leadership remains a very individual concept, exercised in many diverse yet successful ways. Indeed, successful application always results in leadership. Unsuccessful application is invariably counter-productive. So, is this another theory? No, but I will share with you some of my observations about where to look for leadership. It's my belief that although we may not be able to define it very precisely, we can recognize it when we see it.

We know that there are people called ""formal leaders"" and ""informal leaders"" in some of the literature. I am not going to talk about those ""formal leaders,"" because they are by definition occupying positions of authority (i.e., a supervisory position) and that is their sole claim to leadership. ""Informal leaders,"" on the other hand, exercise leadership from positions not formally designated for leadership, thus causing a problem for the organization. How the informal leader arises is curious, but it can often be caused by the lack of leadership in the ""formal"" position. But that doesn't mean that the ""great man"" theory takes place (that's the one that says when a crisis occurs and there's no one prepared to deal with it, someone will rise to the occasion and deal with it). Why is someone not in a leadership position given authority by the group in which they work to exercise leadership?

There are, of course, several answers to that question, so let's examine some of them. It may be that the one who is the leader is a confident (at least confidently-acting) person with a bit of charisma, thus one who offers logical answers to questions from the group, and who may have the ability to demonstrate that they have good ideas. We often see this in groups that begin by discussing particular problems; if no one is specifically ""in charge,"" the leader who emerges is often the person who demonstrates the most passion about the topic.

Or, they may simply be someone who is impatient for action, and goads others into a particular action that appears to achieve some common goals. In this case, the group tends to rally behind the ""visionary."" Sometimes, the visionary doesn't have much of a vision, but that doesn't mean they aren't capable of pursuing one (or of having one in the first place).

Another possibility is that one of this group recognizes that things can be done in a way to benefit everyone involved, much like the development of John Nash's gaming theory (the basis for the movie, ""A Beautiful Mind""). The concern is not for the betterment, enrichment or even recognition of the leader, rather for the achievement of group goals, including the entire organization.

When we find this leader of the latter sort, John Collins, in his book Good to Great, calls them ""Level 5"" leaders. They are the ones who are passionate about achievement of the whole, not of themselves individually. These leaders aren't heralded, because they don't blow their own horns. They are too busy working toward meaningful goals to be distracted by something so counter-productive. Yet they do some particular things that we can see ""proves"" their leadership. Some of those things are where I'd like to focus this discussion.

Leaders who are passionate about their vision (they ALWAYS have a vision), are careful to make sure everyone in the organization knows what that vision is. They will indoctrinate everyone so that it is not simply a vision, but a tangible part of the environment, so much so that it will go home with employees at night. Everything that flows, then, is a reflection of that vision, because the vision becomes the beacon that guides the actions of everyone in the organization.

Those leaders know their people well: their personalities, their histories, their passions. The leader knows them because of the leadership involved in attracting and retaining the right people to ""get the job done."" They reach back to the theory of W. Edwards Deming, not necessarily for Statistical Process Control techniques (although they are valuable), but for Deming's ""14 Points,"" one of which is to insure adequate and continuous training. If the right people are in the job and they are given the resources to get the job done, cheerleading is a waste of time, because these workers already get out of bed in the morning excited about going to work. Motivation? It's boiling inside each one of them, and they don't need slogans or mantras, or group meetings to cheer about history, because the ""self-actualized"" person is also self-motivated. They know their jobs, they know what's expected of them, and they know that they have a responsibility to the rest of the employees to do the best job they possibly can. One reason that happens is that the individual has been involved in development of their job and their responsibilities for that job, they've been informed about how their job fits into the overall scheme, and they are intimately involved in changes that occur in the company. Revolutionary? No, it's been in the books for decades.

When leaders develop this kind of employee and the managers to supervise those employees, they are freed up to do the visionary tasks: keeping the goal in sight, and making the course corrections necessary when changing conditions require them. Tweaking is a skill these leaders have that is taught in no school, which makes it that much more valuable.

In my history is a ten-year stint as a division controller for a manufacturing firm. The division manager was a true visionary, who brought the division from a lackluster, poorly motivated, money losing operation to an energetic, proud organization that had attained ISO 9000 certification on its way to becoming profitable as well. Over those ten years, I watched that manager steadfastly steer the division in the direction his vision so clearly defined. Not all of his actions were exactly right, but that didn't keep us from learning from them. And the division became a model for the corporation, while the division manager became a regional manager so his skills could be used in other divisions as well. He had learned that putting the team together was his biggest job, but once that was done, the team drove the progress. He simply got out of the way. His time was not spent showing what he'd done, it was spent in providing the tools to the team members so they could get where he wanted faster. If he needed to do something that should be done by one of the team members, that team member was, by definition, unnecessary, and was eliminated. That doesn't mean that mistakes weren't tolerated, nor that effort wasn't made to insure the team member was adequately placed and trained. But when it became obvious that change was necessary, it occurred quickly and cleanly. It was truly a joy to work there, but especially to observe that unsung leadership in action.

There are some things we as individuals can do, if we want to develop our own leadership: 1. Keep focused on the primary goal for your company. Never let yourself be distracted from that. 2. Surround yourself not with those who only agree with you, but with the right people for the job you need done, then train them and provide them the tools to do the job. 3. Recognize the benefits of having different personalities around you. Not only do separate skill sets come with different personalities, but different approaches that are essential to your company's success. 4. Having hired the right people, get out of their way. If you must micromanage them, you don't need them. This is not a big problem, however, since they won't stay anyway, if you treat them with so little respect. 5. Remember always to consult your feedback loop in all your processes, to make sure things are working as you expect, and that you can make appropriate changes timely. Failure to do this with hasten the failure of your organization in total. Recall that your feedback loop is only as valuable as the people from whom you get feedback. Listen to them. 6. Know when you have exceeded your limitations, and acknowledge it. Then get help to overcome it.

Each of us has the capability to be a leader. We will only become effective leaders, however, when we lose our fear of making mistakes, and share responsibility for achievement of the goals of the organization. If those goals are our individual measures of achievement, then the organization will work to succeed and achieve; if they are not, we will be the transient leader that gets things going, but fails by failing to share credit and push for only the good of the organization.

Dare to achieve.

About the author: Ron Fory is an instructor and trainer for The Leader's Institute and specializes in public speaking and leadership development. Ron can be reached at 1-800-872-7830 x105.