I spoke with a group of CEOs about trends in their industry and had the opportunity to offer important ways to enhance their leadership skills. These proven “mandates” apply to anyone in a leadership role that wants to improve their performance and overall career success.
Aim Higher
We all have a tendency to aim too low when setting goals or performance expectations. No matter how good things may have been, our mindset should be that the best is still ahead. We need to realize that our opportunities far outdistance our ability to see or grasp them. That is why we can aim much higher in setting goals than we believe we can attain. We need to make sure those stretch goals really are a stretch.
And it may not be possible to attain perfection in everything we do, but we can strive for it every time. Don’t accept less than being a “perfect 10” in every area that drives performance and results. When we aim higher and execute to the highest level possible, we will surpass the majority of the competition and prepare the team for even greater results.
Too often managers and leaders get caught up in their daily routines. We can all be overwhelmed with too much to do, and we can miss both big and little things that are holding us back. We need to make getting out of the office a priority. We must make time for it. When we do, we can experience firsthand what’s really going on, gain greater insight and be fully engaged with the team.
There is much that can be learned in the trenches where the work gets done. When issues are found, we need to address them quickly. It will make a huge difference.
The people we manage and lead want to know that leadership has a plan. What is their future? Where is the team going? An inspired plan that excites the team and ourselves makes a big difference in keeping everyone motivated and excited to be part of the team.
A truly inspired and clear vision of where we are going not only helps us take advantage of our opportunities, it can help overcome uncertainty when challenges and impediments get in the way.
To achieve excellence we must narrow our focus to only a few key priorities. Becoming the best really requires a focused process. We should work on improving the highest value and highest priority items first. When we have mastered or nearly mastered those priorities, we can move on to what’s next.
Pursuing excellence is a key to surviving and ultimately thriving.
Remember who does the work. If we think we are doing most of the work ourselves, we are probably not relying on others. We are holding the team back and not reaching our fullest potential. This needs to change. There are many people on the team working hard in the trenches every day. Tap into their skills, energy and motivation and elevate their performance and contribution.
We need to stay humble. And as the business changes we need to make sure we have the right people in the right seats so we can exceed expectations, now and into the future.
Success in great part is determined by how effectively we are getting everyone on the team focused on what needs to be done, making sure it is done well and recognizing others for what they do.
To help you remember these points, print off our 5 Mandates for Every Leader card for your leadership team! Download Here
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