Leaders Use Resolve Rather Than Avoid

By Richard Brody

One of the determining factors between true leaders and wannabes is whether they have enough personal resolve to face confrontations and difficulties, or opt instead to prioritize merely avoiding conflict. While a great leader always tries to create a meeting of the minds wherever possible, he is always prepared to persist and persevere in pursuit of his most meaningful objectives, goals and ideals.

1. Great leaders are always proactive. They never merely sit back and wait for things to happen or come to them, but they understand and appreciate the need to proactively pursue goals, because it is a necessity of achievement. Many of those in positions of leaders opt to procrastinate or in other ways avoid taking any type of even potentially controversial actions or activities, and thus they never are transformed into true leaders. The impact of avoiding taking meaningful action is often a tendency to become irrelevant.

2. A real leader never has the luxury of merely advising others what they should do, but must rather commit fully to leadership by example. That means avoiding the overwhelming tendency of wannabe leaders that basically transmit a message to do as I say, not as I do. When someone leads by example, it tends to motivate far more others to become more involved and commit. It also accentuates the message by indicating that the individual is not merely telling you to do something, but showing a personal commitment that makes it far more compelling to follow and commit to a greater extent.

3. When someone who leads has obvious personal resolve, and does not tend to give up (or change his message and/ or goals because of resistance, challenges, obstacles or criticisms), he sets the tone and direction. A leader's focus on getting his objections done, and having contingency and backup plans in place to assure successful implementation, creates a positive aura and an overall can - do type of mindset and atmosphere.

4. When someone who leads has the right attitude and commits to move forward consistently in his desired direction and/ or mode, he best potentiates accomplishing what needs to be done. This often requires addressing issues at early stages and reducing any negative impacts. This creates a positive mindset that sees obstacles and issues as merely challenges, as opposed to the often seen mindset of focusing on perceived problems.

We often hear discussions about strong leaders or strength of leadership. This is only relevant when it translates to meaningful, proactive actions and personal resolve to achieve one's goals, regardless of the resistance or obstacles.

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
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Do You See A Problem, Or Focus On A Solution?

By Richard Brody

Every leader, at some point in his administration and oversight, faces some obstacle or obstacles where he makes either a conscious or subconscious decision to see only problems and/ or potential problems, or rather to focus on a solution. If the individual faces what inevitably generally becomes the cowardly option of being problem focused, the result is often precisely what he anticipates. The reality is that when you think mostly about problems, your challenges and obstacles become so distasteful and debilitating that little ever gets accomplished. On the contrary, the individual who refuses to accept that the issues are problems, attacks his challenges by analyzing what needs to be done, focusing on a solution, and creates a viable action plan.

1. In nearly every aspect of both leadership and our everyday lives, our every result is determined primarily by our attitude. If you conceive only of problems, it creates an aura of negativity, and deters doing anything about it, creating a "What's the use?, type of mindset. When we believe that we can achieve, even if it might be challenging, we begin well along the path of achievement.

2. What is your perspective? Will you permit yourself to keep an open mind, and examine the possibilities, or do you narrow your alternatives, and thus your meaningful possibilities? The adage that what one conceives of and perceives he will achieve, is vital to understanding the impact our preliminary perspective is in terms of our inevitable actions, and thus results.

3. Our attitudes and our perspectives are the primary influencers of our personal mindset. Does your mindset create positivity, or does it create a feeling of negativity and impossibility? How do your inner feelings make you, and those around you, feel? Does your mindset propel you forward to achieve, or does it have you commence the process considering things impossible?

4. Do you tend to be proactive, or are you generally reactive? Every great leader has been proactive, realizing that that way, he controls far more of his and his organization's destiny! When one is reactive, he often waits so long as to miss viable alternatives and opportunities, and generally fails to act in a timely basis. One can never lead if his behavior leads to procrastination!

5. Are you a doer, or an excuse maker and blamer? When an individual in a leadership position relies on making excuses and blaming others, he generally destroys his potential to motivate others. Doers seek solutions, and finding a solution transforms potential problems to challenges that one is able to overcome!

Think about how you approach life, as well as your behavior and mindset. Do you see problems in every issue, or do you perceive and conceive obstacles as opportunities once you have solved what needs attention?

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
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Do You Believe You Deserve To Win?

By Richard Brody

With so much of our focus so often on winning, have you ever examined whether you really feel that you deserve to win? Or, do you settle for merely being in contention, settling for good - enough, as compared to personal excellence? While each of us may have different perceptions of what winning means, invariably it is dependent on a combination of our attitude, self - confidence, self - belief, values. integrity and persistence. Unless, and until, anyone really believes that he is worthy of, and deserves to win, accomplishing the same is nearly an impossibility.

1. How often have you heard or read something about the need to focus on maintaining a positive attitude? With all that attention, one might come to believe that there is no longer any need to focus on it. However, the reality is that a true positive attitude is personified by our everyday, consistent and persistent actions and behaviors, and not merely by an accumulation of empty rhetoric and verbiage. Maintaining an attitude of positivism means abandoning not only negative words, but negative thoughts, including the pessimistic outlooks associated with questioning whether something is possible, and continuously questioning whether one might succeed.

2. If you want to win, begin by believing in your knowledge and abilities. Understand that there is a significant difference between bragging and confidence, and that being confidence means addressing personal fear and overcoming them, by expanding our comfort zones and seeking continuous self - improvement.

3. Do you believe in yourself? Do you believe that you can achieve what others often may not be able to do? Do you feel that merely because others continuously tell you that you can't do, or it can't be done, or that's not the way it's done or the way do things, that you have enough inner strength and fortitude to move forward and use your personal assets and individual differences to accomplish and persist when others might give up, or not even attempt. Are you satisfied with being ordinary, or to strive to be extraordinary?

4. What are your personal values, and do they jive with, and synergistically work with your strengths, to make you a better and more meaningful person? Is one of your priorities creating better and more meaningful value to all around you, and serving the greater good? Are you unwavering in your commitment to absolute integrity in all aspects of your life? Will you persist and persevere, when others merely give up and surrender?

When you become comfortable enough with yourself to truly believe that you deserve superior results, and you combine that with the commitment to do be great, that belief, in and of itself, will often drive you forward to do things differently, approach life more confidently, and expand your comfort level in a meaningful manner. When you really believe you deserve to win, you propel yourself closer to actually winning.

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
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What YOU Think Means More Than What Others Say!

By Richard Brody

A large number of people end up being their own worst enemies. They act as if they are so needy, requiring the approval of others, and letting the opinions and words of others, powerfully impact their psyche and self - confidence. Rather than focusing on becoming a better YOU, these people spend an inordinate amount of time being concerned about what others think about them, and say to and about them. More often than not, the most powerful forces are our perceptions and self - belief. This must be more than mere empty rhetoric or fake or affected form of positivity, but rather must evolve from maintaining a work ethic that makes us move forward on an ongoing and consistent basis, properly utilizing our strengths while addressing our weaknesses and transforming them into personal strengths.

1. You can never really be truly happy or personally satisfied if you don't feel good about yourself, and have confidence in your self - worth. Perhaps the most devastating behavior is that far too often, we permit others to steal our dreams and aspirations, and accept their negative, naysaying attitudes. Success is never a one - step procedure, but rather comes as a result of persistence and perseverance. This requires the attitude of "can - do" and "will - do," and focusing on ways to achieve and reach our goals and aspirations. Don't let others place a Detour sign in the way of your beliefs!

2. Always be aware of the fact that there are individuals out there who will always be naysayers. In general, they do so, either because they lack the personal vision or self - confidence, or that they are jealous, envious or nervous that someone else will be able to better achieve than they are. The most popular way of people trying to steal other's dreams, and either consciously or subconsciously attempt to control how much someone else might achieve is by saying: "can't be done;" "we don't do it that way;" "that's not how it's done around here;" "why would you even think you could do that?," etc. Unless you have the self - confidence and inner belief that tells you, on a consistent and regular basis, that what you think means more (has more value and validity) than the words and beliefs of others, you permit the naysayers to control you! Why would you do that?

Essential self - belief does not usually just happen! Each of us have to work on it on a regular, consistent, sustained basis. Aren't you worth that effort and commitment?

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
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ATTITUDES ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN FACTS

It is your attitude at the beginning of a task more than anything else that will determine your success or failure.

It is your attitude towards life that will determine life's attitude towards you. Despite many people's belief to the contrary, life plays no favorites.

You control your attitude. If you are negative it is because you have decided to be negative and not because of other people or circumstances.

Act as if you have a good attitude. Remember actions trigger feelings just as feelings trigger actions.

Before a person can achieve the kind of results he wants, he must first become that person. He must then think, walk, talk, act and conduct himself in all of his affairs, as would the person he wishes to become.

Treat everybody as the most important person in the world.

Attitudes are based on assumptions. In order to change attitudes one must first change one's assumptions.

Develop the attitude that there are more reasons why you should succeed than reasons why you should fail.

When you are faced with a problem, adopt the attitude that you can and will solve it.

We become what we think about. Control your thoughts and you will control your life.

Radiate the attitude of confidence, of well being, of a person who knows where he is going. You will then find good things happening to you right away.

In order to develop a good attitude, take charge first thing in the morning. Do you say, "Good morning, Lord" or "Good Lord, morning?"

Read these twelve points every day for the next thirty days and see how your life changes.

ATTITUDES ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN FACTS

- Unknown Author
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Wise Leaders Never Assume

By Richard Brody

The wisest leaders are those that realize that there are never any guarantees in leadership, and that even the best planned, perceived, conceived, and productive actions may still not accomplish what they are intended and hoped to do. Effective and meaningful leadership means eliminating any tendency towards prejudgment, remaining open to alternatives, planning for contingencies, being flexible in approach while maintaining essential goals, and the realization, as Yogi Berra was quoted as saying, "It's not over until it's over." We have all heard the variety of cute variations on the meaning of the word assume, but the most essential thing for any leader to realize is that they must understand that regardless of how well intentioned they may be, and even how good their ideas might be, it is essential to understand that leadership is a fluid and constantly adjusting circumstance, and only those that can lead in a fluid situation, are capable of wisely leading any organization.

1. Wise leadership is not about simply creating a plan, and then never adjusting to circumstances or changing conditions. There are always certain circumstances that do not go according to a preliminary plan, and it is the ability to adjust to contingencies that distinguish wise leaders from others. When planning is done effectively, it includes preparation for unexpected things, and creating multiple backup plans, in order to potentiate maximum readiness for any eventuality.

2. Far too often, individuals in positions of leadership create the greatest obstacle to their own success, because they begin by basing their plans on prejudgment and seem unwilling to accept and anticipate alternatives. These plans must be flexible enough to be able to adjust as necessary, while not sacrificing their ideals, long term vision or most important goals, etc. How does that leader handle the variations that occur throughout their tenure, and are they prepared, or do they become frustrated and inhibited by these changes? Wise leaders must possess the positive attitude and approach to consistently move forward, despite any eventuality that might present obstacles or challenges.

When a leader permits his assumptions to control his judgments and actions, he weakens his potential, creates more challenges than necessary, and wastes time in non- productive activities, rather than seamlessly moving forward with a backup plan when that course of action is called for. Perhaps this is one of the major factors that explain why so few leaders seem to exhibit consistent wisdom. If you wish to be a great leader, begin by expanding your comfort zone, be more willing to accept and anticipate obstacles and challenges, and act rather than merely reacting.

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
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