1) Style points
Define your leadership style and vision.
We lead people and manage things. The two don’t mix. Announce your vision during the interview process and restate it continually. Assess the candidates’ ability to thrive under your leadership style.
2) Meetings
Hold regular Meetings for feedback. Listen without being defensive, process the information and take action. Make corrections to stay on course for your short-term goals and grand vision.
3) We are family
Make your team your family. The great coaches will tell you that their players are like family to them. They nurture players as humans first, and athletes second. With sincerity, try to treat your employees the same way.
4) Bad apples
An employee continually displaying disruptive behavior must be dealt with posthaste. Like any infection, the behavior can spread, undermining the team effort. Firing can and must be done with compassion. Indicate both the positive contributions, as well as reasons for dismissal.
5) Values
Plan the image your vision portrays carefully. Take the Hard Rock Café for instance. In the midst of a huge expansion and in an industry notorious for employee turnover, it instituted this simple mission: Health first, family second, Hard Rock third. The Net result was a successful expansion with employee turnover coming in at less than half the industry standard.
6) True Colors
Only through authenticity can your employees get to know the person behind the leader. Lay it all out there and always look to improve through personal growth. You do not have to be perfect to gain respect. Sometimes, in fact, an exposed flaw can be quite human and endearing.
7) Honor
Garner Trust through honesty and integrity.
Say what you mean and mean what you say. Strong Leaders do not vacillate back and forth. Be decisive, but, at the same time, be able to admit mistakes. Remember to keep an open mind, let honesty and integrity sail the ship, and the trust and respect from your employees will provide the tailwind.
8) Focus
Stay your Course based on internal,
not
external factors. When you drive, most of the time is spent concentrating on the road ahead. You occasionally glance in your side mirror, as well as your rearview. The same concept applies to business. Avoid spending a lot of time on what others are doing and concentrate on what's ahead of you.
9) Have everything
Don’t think either/or, think both. Why should one have to pick between wealth and happiness? Successful leaders ask how we can create a win-win situation, rather than compromising one of the choices.
10) Troubleshoot
Problems are nothing more than opportunities waiting to happen. Think outside the box, get quiet and meditate. Tap the power of collective consciousness to convert so-called problems into positive outcomes and watch your success quotient rise.
