What Does Winning Mean To A Winner?
By Richard Brody
Whenever there is any discussion about winning or the need/ desire to win, there are generally diverse points of view, as to what that actually means and indicates. This discussion is often a challenging one, but when it relates to leadership, can often be an essential one as well. While great leaders are distinguished by the fact that for them winning is directly related to achievement of their priorities and goals, and the forward impetus that the organization receives as a result, others often have less lofty ideals and for them winning is about personal gain, etc. The contrast is between the positive traits versus the more negative ones. Positive traits include positive values (placing the interests and needs of others first), worthwhile dreams and goals, and a proactive perspective. Contrast these to the negative ones which include prioritizing personal gain (the me - first attitude), a lack of clearcut perspective or goals, and a reactive rather than proactive approach (which generally leads to crisis management rather than leadership).
1. Great leaders distinguish themselves with their positivity, as well as their positive values. They realize that they will only succeed when they make others do so to a greater degree. To these rare but distinguished individuals, winning means motivating others to work with them toward loftier goals and values. Contrast that to the far more commonly observed negative model, where someone perceives problems from every obstacles, and permits those perceptions to dominate him. He often so needs the approval of others that he resorts to excuses and blaming others, often spending more time on these "solutions" rather than attempting to resolve challenges and transform them to opportunities.
2. A winning leader always has worthwhile and often far reaching dreams, that motivates him to develop goals that propels him forward to do more and better for his organization. He focuses on how things should be and how to get there, as opposed to the negative, mediocre one who lacks any clearcut direction, and permits outside forces to dominate him, rather than emphasing the best approaches and plans to be a real winner.
3. In the end analysis, great leadership often relates directly to planning and taking action. The winner is the individual who is proactive and acts before he must, while the loser is unwilling to take timely action and behaves reactively rather than proactively.
How someone in a position of leadership perceives winning is often indicative of his eventual effectiveness. Only those that are led by the positive model achieve and proceed at the level where they actually become a true leader!
Richard has owned businesses, been a COO, CEO, and Director of Development, as well as a consultant. He has professionally run events, consulted to over a thousand leaders, and conducted personal development seminars, for over 30 years. Rich has written three books and well over a thousand articles. His company, PLAN2LEAD, LLC has an informative website http://plan2lead.net and Plan2lead can also be followed on Facebook http://Facebook.com/Plan2lead
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Brody
http://EzineArticles.com/?What-Does-Winning-Mean-To-A-Winner?&id=7958929
Image courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
