The Leader List

If you had to define your character as a leader, what would it be?

"A leader will be remembered by the actions he took and the people he touched."

"When you find your voice,
you have found your character."

"The style of leader you become will be defined by those tough choices you must often make."

"You stand for what you tolerate."

"If only I had a leader's list of what to do -- a primer or more simply -
a To Do List and a How To Leader List"

The Leader's List: 249 Rules to Success

When I first went into leadership, I had several role models.

My father first comes to mind because I had the opportunity to see him in action. He was the lead guy in his own successful firm and was my first image of someone leading.

A few musings from those faraway years still linger, such as the way he had a casual flair around all those people that worked for him or the way he gently disagreed and you knew there was firmness behind it.

It was a contrast to what I witnessed in corporate America years later where men that I worked for utilized intimidation and coercion to make things happen. Sometimes out of an unmanaged ego, but often out of a lack of aptitude over how to better do it. (Have I stressed how important training is yet?) The Tao Of Leadership highlights several areas that must be in place, and how Leader Capability is a key cog in that big wheel.

Although I think some pressure is a good thing at work, I know that it can easily drift from tension to stress. At that point, you begin to lose productivity. A difficult balance for many leaders.

Easy Guide for Success

So if I had to screw my head on each morning and be ready to take on the day as a leader to others, what would I remind myself of?

Call me a quick-study or call me a short-cutter … I want to hear it in something that I can digest, and something that does not take me two months to read. I admit, I rarely get all the way through a business book. Those volumes of knowledge have great application in building a career, but what about the coach’s pep talk at the halftime break? (Try reading the Executive Book Summary ... my little trick for getting the the heart of a book efficiently). I don’t have to sit still very long for that. That’s what I want occasionally.