1. Everybody possesses the ability to lead.  This means that every member of your workforce can develop his/her unique leadership skills and abilities to achieve improved results. It’s a common myth that a select number of us are “born” leaders.
2. Leadership is a journey.  Leadership characteristics are developed and improved over time. Consciously and consistently developing our leadership skills will accelerate our results.  Compare the skill sets you possess now to those of five years ago.  How are you doing?
3. Leadership is a personal choice.  If we don’t take the initiative to grow our leadership potential, we will achieve limited success.  We create our future, our companies and the world when we take responsibility for developing our leadership potential and the potential of our workforce.  On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your initiative for developing your leadership potential?  How about that of your workforce?
4. People get results, not titles. We must first be effective leaders personally, before we can be effective leaders formally. Both formal and personal leadership require personal power – we get results from people because our behaviors are those that earn people’s trust and respect, thus people are eager to follow our lead.
5. Leaders face failure head-on.  When mistakes happen leaders act on courage and adhere to their values to keep leading.  Remember, it’s who we are in times of intense challenge that define our character. Which of your leadership characteristics are shining through at work and at home during this challenging time in our economy?  Are you a lighthouse or a weather-vane?
6. Leaders set goals.  Goals act as a compass for success.  If we don’t set written goals we are at high risk for losing sight of where we are going personally and professionally.  Leadership requires pointing everyone in the same direction.  Are you setting written goals?

What might you add to this list?

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