Signature Lines

Let’s get it right here….your outgoing professional emails should contain a signature line. 

Leaders know that this is professional….and a courtesy to readers.  Readers may want to call you or know what your title is.  Additionally, it shows the value you place on you, who your are, what you do and how you contribute to your community.

Consider including…..name, title, email address, phone number, hours available, work group and maybe even your tagline/catchphrase/elevator speech.  Do not SHOUT with caps and goofy logos, designs….be professional and simply make sure it is there…….you get points for doing it!

Leaders Do The Little Things…and like the little things

Sometimes the big things make us happy.  An anniversary, a birthday, a graduation.  But after that event, what are you left with?  If we only enjoy and look forward to the big events, most everything else feels really less special.

The same thing goes for leaders.  Leaders do big things…like giving public recognition, leading a team to complete and deliver a project or looking for ways to promote somebody they work with.

In then end though….others will likely remember the “small stuff” that others do.  Saying thank you in a meaningful and sincere way.  Rolling up shirt sleeves to assist someone during a stressful and busy time.  Providing some encouraging words.  Loaning somebody a book on a topic of interest of their development.

What’s one “little thing” you will do as a leader today?

All Leaders Are Wrong

Sometimes.

And that’s good.  Leadership is about saying “I don’t know” and “You know more about that topic/issue/concept than I do.”

The problem is….many leaders don’t want to say those things.  They fear loss of control or rejection.  Far from true.  When you say you don’t know something or that you don’t have all of the answers, you are honest.  One by-product of honesty is that it has the potential to endear you to others….and others then want to follow your leadership even more.

Regardless of where you are as a leader….project planner, coordinator, member, chief bottle washer…you are a leader.  And the best leaders know…and openly say….that they don’t know…and that’s good.

Try it today and see what happens.

It’s What You Do With What You Know

Leadership isn’t about a title or about things.  It’s about doing leadership….not just doing stuff.  There are lots of people who can do the “stuff” at work or at home.  Real leadership is about making decisions, asking questions, listening to people.

It’s about thinking….then acting.  Many leaders believe it’s all about what you do and how you can show what you’ve accomplished.

Do less, lead more.

Connecting Leaders with Leaders

Remember the excitement when you learned how to do something new for the first time.  Like riding a bike, cooking a new dish or a new on-line game.

In the beginning, you may have been frustrated because you “didn’t know” something.  Then you might have become upset as you tried to learn the new skill.  That feeling probably turned to joy as you mastered the new skill.

One of the best times for you to teach a new skill to somebody else is when you too have recently mastered how to do it.  An “old pro” is good too but the newbie has a great sense of enthusiasm.

For example, a parent showing a child how to ride a bike for the first time can do it (with patience).  However, a child who recently learned how to handle and ride a bike will teach another kid how to ride…and that teacher-kid will be excited and motivating.  The parent doing the same teaching will mostly be frustrated.

Leaders know that they are better off having others who recently acquired a new skill or those who just accomplished a tough task do the job of teaching or showing others how.  Making the connection for the new learner with the recent learner creates magic and success.  That is how you become a master leader.  Help make those connections and stop doing all the work.  Lead.

Courage Is The Right Thing

True leaders have courage.  They have the courage to jump in and roll up their sleeves.  They have the courage to say “thank you.”  They don’t hesitate to say “I made a mistake” and they do it right away without waiting.

Leaders have the courage to try something new or invite new perspectives.  They look to engage others in discussions…even when they differ from their own beliefs.

Leaders stand up and do the right things for the right reasons…instead of the popular things.

Courage is not really difficult when values are clear….it is difficult when values are unclear, misaligned, conflicting or do not exist.

The best leaders are confident with their courage.  Clarify and set our values in place and courage becomes second nature.  For leaders, courage is the right thing.

Share The Stage

The best leaders share the stage.  The other night I found myself at a concert.  It used to be that when you went to a concert years ago, the opening act was….well….there to pass the time.  Often they were background noise and sometimes fun.

Many top performers today share the stage and the limelight by putting excellent talent on stage as the opening act.

The opening act the other night at the show was a top performer.  People were dancing, singing and having a great time….with the opening act.  The “ticket” performer shared the stage, very graciously with not one but two excellent performers prior to his entrance.

How about you?  As a leader, how are you sharing the stage?

Others Are Watching

Others are watching.  Yes, they really are.

Others watch you all the time.  They watch your leadership.  They evaluate.  They judge.  They steal.  And, that’s all good.

In a way, it is also flattering.  Realize that others watch you and they see how you lead, what questions you ask, how you handle challenges, when do you take action and how do you motivate.

Now, many don’t think much about these things out loud.  Most see and hear.  The log and store.  Then, they do those things themselves.  That’s the beauty of it….they mirror your leadership.  You are passing it on….and you may not have even realized it.

But, now that you do.  Realize that because they steal ideas or borrow your style, you have an even greater responsibility to lead and to do it well.

Otherwise, you’ll be passing on something other than leadership.

Less About Me, More About We

The power of “we” is incredible.  When you move away from me, you come to we. 

We can do amazing things.  Me, I can too…but I often move faster and smarter with we.

We know more together.  Me, I know what I know…I can learn from we.

We share excitement and enthusiasm.  Me, I am happy inside and for myself (and that is a good feeling to have and cultivate)…that enthusiasm is multiplied to a higher power with we.

How about you…is it more me or more we?

Doing The Hard or The Easy

Management is easy.  Leadership is hard.

Management is telling, leadership is asking.

Management is doing, leadership is involving.

Management is forcing values upon, leadership is sharing values and inviting.

Management is necessary from time to time.  If there is a fire in a building and the alarms are not work…I want someone to come in and manage us out of there fast…no questions asked or answered.  Management is also needed when a company or organization needs immediate direction and action in the short term, but it is not a long term solution.  I’m sure you can think of other examples.

Mostly though, when all is said and done, most of us would rather spend time (at work, at home and at play) with leaders.