We encourage you to use these images as desktop screen savers or wall hangings in your work place to help inspire, remind, or motivate you to be the best team, coach, strategist, and leader that you can be. These signs are complimentary, and we encourage you to share them with other professionals on your favorite social network site.

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I was recently in the classroom of my son (7 years old) and noticed the poem written below at the front of the class.  As a parent and professional familiar with the qualities of great leaders, I was excited to see this being instilled into his character.

It Can Be Done
The man who misses all the fun
Is he who says, “It can’t be done.”
In solemn pride he stands aloof
And greets each venture with reproof.

Had he the power he’d efface
The history of the human race.
We’d have no radio or motor cars
No streets lit by electric stars.

No telegraph nor telephone
We’d linger in the age of stone.
The world would sleep if things were run
By men who say, “It can’t be done.”

-William J. Bennett

This poem caught my attention because I am constantly helping my children to become great leaders and learn the skills necessary to be successful in their own lives.  While there are many qualities of leadership, the conviction to enjoy the journey and press forward is a great quality to develop and poses.

After several months, the orchestra was to perform their first dress rehearsal for all the patrons. When the orchestra was in place, the famous conductor walked out onto the stage to much applause from the audience. He took his place in front of the orchestra and gave the downbeat.  Nothing happened.  There was complete silence both from the audience and the orchestra! The conductor took a large, deep breath, tapped his baton on the stand, and gave the down beat again.  Like the first time, he was greeted with awkward silence, when music was expected.  Finally, the first chair violinist stood up and said, “That’s just to show you that music doesn’t come out of that baton of yours!”

Despite the type of group or organization, leadership principles are constant.  But in my opinion, one leadership characteristic stands out above the others—humility.  Revered leaders are ambitious, not for personal gain, but for the success of the organization.  In our media-conscious society, the leaders that generally receive the most publicity are those with big egos and big opinions.  However, the best leaders defer credit for the remarkable accomplishments to team members in the organization.  Great leaders might be competitive and ambitious, but they are patient with others, and don’t give in to feelings of superiority.  They honestly recognize and appreciate what team members have to offer today, while remaining committed to helping them develop greater contributions for tomorrow.

If you are a leader looking to maintain your confidence, while becoming more flexible, approachable, and receptive, here are a few helpful tips to help you “face the music,” so to speak:

1. Promptly give others credit for positive actions and attitudes.
2. Control emotion and anger (don’t get excitable or argumentative when there is no justification).
3. Invest time to share, teach, and develop others.
4. Harness your need for power and control.
5. Increase communication with your team by listening well, sharing information openly, and accepting feedback.

The University of Cincinnati Medical Center’s mission statement is to “enhance and improve the quality of health for people everywhere by discovering, teaching and applying knowledge related to the health sciences.” This mission is accomplished “by providing high-quality educational programs, completing excellent research to improve health tomorrow, and applying knowledge today by providing the highest quality patient-centered care possible.”  The mission statement is dedicated to humanity so as to develop and provide innovative health care products that lead to healthier and more productive lives.  This was obviously demonstrated by Dr. Sabin’s work in developing the Sabin polio vaccine.

Dr. Sabin’s work is a constant reminder that through a committed and focused effort, and teamwork, great work can be accomplished. As you know, in the 1950’s polio was the most feared childhood disease, it spread during hot summer months when children crowded around public swimming pools.

Pfizer was also committed to “achieve and sustain our place as the world’s premier research-based health care company.”  With that as the mantra, the development of a polio vaccine became imperative and Pfizer played a key role in producing and distributing Dr. Jonas Salk’s killed-virus immunization.  Pfizer’s facility in Sandwich, England, started bulk production in 1958.  Meanwhile, in Cincinnati, Dr. Albert Sabin, assisted by a grant, had formulated his own “live-virus” polio vaccine.  The Type I Sabin Oral vaccine was developed.  The drug was a huge success; children quickly discovered that eating vaccine-laden sugar cubes was far more pleasant than under going injections.

Working with local health services, company representatives fanned out across America, organizing mass-immunization programs to administer Type I of the Sabin Oral vaccine.  This effort, promoted as S.O.S. – Sabin Oral Sundays – brought doctors, nurses, pharmacists, parents and civic groups together to immunize more than 50 million men, women and children in a mighty effort to eradicate this dreaded disease.  By enlisting the support of entire communities, from pharmacist to physician and from Boy Scout to banker to partner with Dr. Sabin and the University of Cincinnati, the eradication of polio was well within site.

Working together as team members, miracles happen.

1. Leadership – People want to be led, not managed.  Instead, leaders must manage their actions and lead by example.
2. Vision – People want to know how their efforts matter.   A leader must actively provide this vision to his/her people.
3. Pride – People want the leader to feel that they count for something.  A leader should give appropriate praise often.  Using a good positive measurement system will also help individuals know how they are contributing.
4. Congruence – People feel secure when they see the leader doing the right things.  Once again, a leader must lead by example, walk the walk.  Talking alone won’t’ help.
5. Trust – People need trust their leadership if they are to remain dedicated to the organization.  Leaders must be fair, consistent with all employees.
6. Character – People ultimately find out what kind of person their leader is and will be influenced to behave in the same manner.  Leaders must consistently demonstrate good work ethics.
7. Integrity – People need to respect their leaders.   A leader must be accountable for his /her decisions and actions.
8. Responsibility – People feel gratified when commitments to them are kept.  Leaders, who keep commitments, will have employees, who are accountable for their commitments.
9.  Wisdom – People learn most from their leaders by example and coaching.  Leaders need to temper their knowledge with good judgement and concern for others.
10. Communication – People perform better when they understand the issues.  A leader who is open and listens to concerns and ideas will gain more support from his/her employees.  This communication can be verbal, non-verbal and even a simple visual measurement system.  Do you have a positive measurement system in place?

Bottom line, the role of leadership is to add value to other people and the true measure of leadership is influence, thus a great leader must have the ability to change the attitude or behavior of others.

Flexible Leadership is a very positive way in which to help change attitudes or behaviors of others.  Based on CMOE’s Flexible Leadership model there are six key styles a leader should implement based upon various situations that arise with different individuals and levels of development:

1. Control – provide specific instructions and closely supervise specific situations
2. Teach – the desire is to share information or knowledge.
3. Guide – ideal for when there is some disagreement about the ultimate target or intent of the action
4. Collaborate – when there is agreement about the desired outcome and when the leader’s experience and knowledge base is relatively strong.
5. Reinforce – most beneficial when the team needs positive reinforcement for their success.  Key point – frequent reinforcement of positive behaviors and achievements will result in greater, long-term success.

Flexible leadership is not something you do to people, but something you do with people.  Following personal leadership beliefs, core values, and implementation of Flexible Leadership helps leaders to become great.  Great leaders are great teachers.

To run a successful business there must be those who rise up and lead, and as a lead climber does, one must step up and make many decisions that will be crucial to the life of the company. As a leader you will not be alone. You will have those who are beside you who, when you begin the climb, will be there to catch you if you fall. There are also many tools available that you must use to aid you in getting to the top.

To have leadership that gets results many of the same responsibilities that a lead climber has must be taken on. The first responsibility a leader has is planning out and taking the correct line. Remember, others who follow behind you will take the same rou

te you did, make sure its where you want them to go. The second is using the proper tools available at the right times. Often, leaders feel like they have to do everything. Trust and teamwork must come into play. You hire specific people who all have different skills an abilities for a reason, use them. Lastly, setting up a secure anchor. If you do not have a secure anchor to rely on and keep you steady as you make your way to the top, there will come a time when something will happen and because of a lack of an anchor you and others may fall.

These of course are only a few of the responsibilities necessary to lead, and every leader will need to carry out these responsibilities in the way that is specifically tailored to their companies needs. When things get a bit challenging, tie in and climb on, the rewards waiting at the top are well worth the effort.

Within most organizations there is a management / leadership track – take advantage of this track by further refining and developing the leadership and management skills you already possess.

1. Improve your Peer-Leadership Skills 
 Build a reputation as a leader among your peers.  Actions speak louder than words.  At various meetings, listen and speak only when you have something important to say that will help the group to move forward.  Do not focus on negative issues.  Identifying problems is one of the easiest things to do; there is no great demand for problem identifiers, but there is a great demand for problem solvers.  Be Solution Oriented:  if you address a problem, be sure that you have a potential solution to discuss as well.  Share information and communicate often with your peers.  This helps you and others to grow and develop.

2. Improve your Administrative Skills
 Develop an administrative competence in every form of communication and logistical follow up you perform in your job.  Cultivate a reputation as someone who produces high-quality work no matter what your endeavor, no matter who your audience.

3. Develop your General Leadership Skills
 Leadership is a learned skill.  Constantly seek to learn from those successful leaders within and outside your organization.  What pearl or pearls of wisdom can you pick up and use to help you become a leader?  Pick and choose from their leadership styles, yet make it your own as you continue to develop your personal style.  Whatever style you choose, keep these “pearls of wisdom” in the forefront of your mind and think about how to apply them as you move forward in two key areas – achieving bottom line results for your organization and developing your people.

Here are some key ideas to consider as you move along this path of continuous leadership improvement during the first half of the New Year:

• Know yourself and seek self-improvement opportunities

• Be technically proficient and know how to apply your knowledge

• Seek out responsibility and take responsibility for your actions

• Make sound and timely decisions

• Set a good example for others

• Know your people and look out for their wellbeing

• Keep your people well informed

• Help your people develop a sense of responsibility

• Ensure that task job tasks you delegate are understood, supervised, and accomplished

• Train your people as a team

• Develop plans of action that are in accordance with your team’s capabilities

We have just been though one of the greatest financial crisis in the history of the world.  The world goes further into debt.  Companies struggle to be profitable.  We continue to see the bickering of politicians and watch the business-as-usual with our governments.  The wars in foreign countries continue.   We continue to watch the further disintegration of the family system and family values.  And through all of this, one asks “Where are the leaders?”  What is leadership?  Who is a leader?

Regardless of our position in life, all of us can and should be leaders.  So what is leadership?  “Leadership is the ability to decide what is to be done, and then get others to want to do it.” -Dwight D. Eisenhower

Leaders accomplish things by leading.  That is, by guiding and helping other people.  Dictators issue orders, using fear and punishment to command compliance.  Leaders shape people’s opinions and win their enthusiasm, using every available opportunity to send out their message (VISION) and win supporters (Noel Tichy, The Leadership Engine).  Dictators break people down to feel inadequate, incapable, and don’t know much about the value people and their power.

What makes a leader?  A leader has VISION about what needs to be done.  He/she makes changes and helps others to make changes in order to see the VISION through completion.

What is your VISION about leadership?  What is the vision that you have about leading your family, in your community, in your employment, in your religious organization, or in your own personal development? As we talk about vision and change, there are a number of tools that can be used to help lead others towards change:

· Situational Leadership by Paul Hersey & Ken Blanchard (1984)

o Directing

o Coaching

o Supporting

o Delegating

· The Coach by Steven Stowell & Matt Starcevich (1987)

o Be Supportive

o Define the Topic and Needs

o Establish Impact

o Initiate a Plan

o Get a Commitment

o Confront Excuses / Resistance

o Clarify Consequences

o Don’t Give Up

· The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey (1989)

o Be Proactive

o Begin with the End in Mind

o Put First Things First

o Think Win/Win

o Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood

o Synergize

o Sharpen the Saw

· Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman (1995)

o Self-awareness

o Self-regulation

o Motivation

o Empathy

o Social Skill/Team Builders

· E’s of Excellence by Curtis Reese (2000)

o Ethic (Work hard and Smart)

o Ego (Strong Ambition to Win)

o Empathy (Meet their needs)

o Empower (Help them to Help Themselves)

o Enthusiasm (Full of Energy)

o Education (Continue to Learn)

o Exercise (Stay Healthy)

o Execute (Put your Plan into Action)

Let’s take a closer look at Curtis Reese’s E’s of Excellence and what they means.  What can you take away from one or more of these areas so that you can be a better leader as you travel down the path of continuous improvement.

· ETHIC

o How committed are we to the task or job at hand when we are at work?

o Do we go beyond company demands?

o Why do our services provide value to our customers?

o Do we work beyond the mark, within the norm or outside the box?

· EGO / AMBITION

o I want to provide the very best service because I want to drive results.

o I want to be a top performer because it is who I am.

o Our services are better because we value our cusomter

o I have quiet confidence because I believe that success is a journey, not a destination.

· EMPATHY

o What are my customers’ needs and how can I help them fulfill those needs?

o How does my customer, family member, religious leader, community leader, view the situation.

o How and in what way do our products/services satisfy our customers’ needs.

o I am aware that a statue has never been set-up to honor a critic and understand the metaphor.

· EMPOWER

o Allow others to help you accomplish your goals

o Compliment everyone around you; make them feel good about their contribution.

o Realize that the sole advantage of power is the ability to do more good.

o Empower your people to make your organization’s services even better by sharing ideas.

· EDUCATION

o Be a general student and always learn.

o Knowledge is POWER!

o The glory of God is intelligence.

o When you stop learning, you stop life itself.

o Don’t learn for the sake of learning, let your knowledge lead to action

o Teach and share your skills with someone else.

· ENTHUSIASM

o Enthusiasm, Energy, and Emotion can all have positive effects on what you do and on the people you come in contact with.

o Even your dog can feel your energy level; be aware of the effect you have on others.

o No one wants to get a “Kick In The Pants,” but it will raise their level of focus and attention.

o Clear your mind of the word “CAN’T.”

· EXERCISE

o Your most important asset is your health.  What do you do to protect your health?

o You buy insurance to cover all your material possessions

o You need a healthy diet and exercise for both the body and the soul.

· EXECUTE

o Live your goals and make your dreams become reality.

o There are three kinds of people:  those who wonder what happened, those who watch what happens, and those who make things happen.  What kind of person are you?  What about the people you lead?

Each one of us has the ability to look like a leader and act like a leader just by making minor improvements in our leadership skills each day.  James Michener, author of “The Tales of the South Pacific,”  wrote; “The master of the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion.  He hardly knows which is which.  He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leading others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he’s always doing both.”

I relate this story of the steering wheel because the world economy is going through some stormy waters.  Although the changes going on may turn out to be good in the long run, it is still difficult to stay the course in the middle of these “troubled waters”.  More than ever we need strong leaders to step up and take the “helm”, provide guidance, and “steer” their teams in the right direction.

A strong leader will effectively partner with each employee and provide direction, guidance, and coaching.  He or she can help team member adjust their personal courses and move into “smooth water”.

Providing constant support takes a lot of effort but it will be worth it in the long run. Consider the following points when helping your team stay afloat:

Communicating frequently with each team member

-Will reduce or eliminate fear of the unknown

-Encourages confidence in individual performance

Building understanding within your team

-Instills ownership in the tasks to ensure success

-Keeps each person focused on the goal

Encouraging respect between members

-Promotes synergy

-Supports a relaxed and engaging environment

Maintaining your integrity

-Retains trust in you and the organization high

-Inspires integrity from team members

“It is not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what is required.”

-Winston Churchill

However, the act infuriated the blocked car’s driver. With a smirk on drivers face and a “me first” attitude, the driver eased the car forward almost pinning the young girl between the two cars. While people in both cars were too impatient for the situation, the driver’s action was potentially dangerous. Had the driver accidentally pressed the gas pedal instead of the brake, the girl would have been badly injured if not killed. This driver’s “me first” attitude was noticed by several other drivers. In an unspoken group effort, the errant driver was deliberately boxed in for several extra minutes while others exited.

With the all the negative news on television, radio and newsprint, many people may demonstrate this “me first” mentality. We can understand their fear, as no one wants to lose their job, income, or current standard of living. Yet, this mentality harms not only harms team members and the organization, but that person’s competence and performance as well. When their intentions are to prove their personal importance, they tend to make less desirable decisions, sabotage other’s efforts, and in the end bring their fear to fruition.

As a leader you can do many things to help avert this “me first” behavior. Consider the following as you choose your course of action

1. Remain positive in your speech and actions. Your team will reflect your attitude; if you are positive, team members will feel more secure.
2. Keep communication lines open with everyone. Don’t keep secrets. Secrets have a way of being shared and peoples trust in you can be lost.
3. Give constant and honest feedback. Don’t lie; people recognize a lie very quickly. Lies generate fear.
4. Encourage innovation and creativity. Ask them to look for processes that can streamline, boost efficiency, or increase savings. Make them a part of the solution.
5. Impress on individuals that through team effort the organization can survive a negative environment. There is power in numbers if corrective action is taken.
6. Encourage employee development through training. Training increases the feeling of security (If the organization values me enough to train me, then I am important).

If you remain optimistic, the members will respond in a like manner. Your team will not continue to perform proficiently but serve as a model of teamwork to others in the organization.