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An academic described leadership as the initiation and direction of endeavor in the pursuit of consequences. I prefer to simply define leadership as a process whereby one individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal. That definition presumes a) that you have followers and b) that both you and your followers know where you are going. Franklin Roosevelt said: "It's colorado #2 jersey a terrible thing to look over your shoulder when you are trying to lead and find no one there." And one would prefer that the followers are willing followers.

During my years in the business world―in all corners of the world―I have observed a wide variety of leaders operating in several different societies and cultures. Despite the significant cultural differences, those who were successful seemed to display certain behavioral patterns and leadership qualities that allowed them to stand out and achieve exceptional organizational and personal gains. They were consistently influential in meetings with almost everyone, and inspired their employees to win.

Over the years I have studied and observed many different types of leaders to understand the attributes, techniques and behavioral patterns that represent common characteristics of successful leaders. These characteristics define who you must be, things you must know and what you must do. If you can master these attributes, you will develop an executive stature that is necessary to be successful as a leader.

1.??? Control Your Destiny

Jack Welch said: "Control your destiny, or some else will." And it's true. It's your life and you should be in control of it to the best of your ability; if you are not, you had better know who is. Don't be a passenger in life; instead get a good grip on the wheel. Of course, if you take control of your destiny, you must also take responsibility for it. That may seem a bit scary, but would you rather consciously or subconsciously abdicate that responsibility to someone else and hope it works out? So far, I have never met a person that I would rather have control over my life than me.

Life is a continuous series of choices and everyone must make them. The ability to think, to evaluate, and to choose is the supreme characteristic that makes you human. Every choice leads inexorably to right or wrong, good or bad, success or failure―according to how one defines those terms. Every choice is a building block of the structure of your life, and every one counts, whether large or small. We have the free will to either create destructive social environments through ignorance and maliciousness, or, through enlightened self-interest, to create a free and civilized society in which we can achieve our values and flourish. By making good choices you can live a flourishing life as a proud, independent sovereign individual with inalienable rights.

Choices and decisions should follow a structured process: 1) define the problem or situation that requires a decision, 2) carefully assess the facts; 3) evaluate the available alternatives, and, finally, 4) select the best one. When a decision is made according to that process, it will be a good decision, regardless of the outcome―good because the correct process was followed. If the outcome happens to be different from what was expected, then it was the wrong decision; however, it was nevertheless, still a good decision because the correct decision-making process had been followed. Life does not always turn out as expected despite our best efforts.

?On the other hand, decisions based on gut-feel, intuition, premonitions, mystical revelations, superstitions, or emotions are inherently bad decisions, regardless of the outcome. In these instances, if the outcome meets expectations, it must be attributed to good luck rather than good judgment.

There are a few techniques that I have found useful in maintaining control of my destiny over the years. I share them with you in the hope that you too, will find them useful.

Keep Score: Keep score of your accomplishments. Keep a daily diary and write down the important things you do. Make a one-page summary at the end of the year. It is a good reminder of what you are doing with your life. You will find it fun and useful. I was late getting started, but for the last 45 years I can tell you where I was and what I was doing on almost any given day.
Make a Plan: Make a career and Life plan … and write it down. A plan that is not written down is just a dream or a fantasy. Update the plan often; when you are young, it will get out of date quickly as you raise your sights and climb the mountain. What it says in not too important; what's important is that you have a plan and you believe you can achieve it. Every Life plan should include a goal to enjoy your work. If your job or career does not give you satisfaction, make a plan to change it. That is a very important part of controlling your destiny.
Update Your Résumé: If you don't have one, write a résumé now. And don't be modest about your accomplishments. Update it at least once a year. Keep the old ones and go back and compare … you will be amazed and encouraged. This action will also help keep you focused on your plan. I would suggest you put it on a website.
Work Hard: Nothing worth colorado #2 jersey having comes easy. If it does, it will most likely be squandered rather than appreciated. When I emigrated to the U.S., I was fearful of having to compete with graduates of the prestigious American Ivy League schools. I wondered how my education from a small marginalized agricultural college in a sleepy Canadian farming community could ever match up. I figured my only hope was to be diligent about doing the simple things well―come early, stay late, do an honest day's work, don't take unnecessary time off, know the rules, follow the rules, be respectful of others, get along, listen carefully, follow instructions, think before speaking, don't interrupt, don't complain, and always demonstrate a positive attitude―all the things we learned in kindergarten. And don't hang around with people who want to drag you down and hold you back. It soon became evident that there was no reason to be concerned. Throughout my career, I have noticed that those who consistently practiced these simple traits usually stand above the crowd regardless of their innate abilities and intelligence. Consistently practicing these simple habits demonstrates reliability and instills trust―two characteristics of paramount importance in any organization―and also invariably results in better job performance.
Health: None of the above means anything if you do not have good health. Your health is priority one, above all else. So take good care of your body so it can take care of you. After all it's your future … be there.

2.??? Leadership vs. Management

Now that colorado #2 jersey you have control of your destiny, let's examine what it takes to become a good leader. First, it is important to understand that leadership is not management. Leaders lead and managers manage. Managers kill the alligators, whereas the leaders drain the swamp so the alligators go away and quit biting you in the butt. Consider another example. An airline pilot is a manager―he manages the plane in flight. The leader is the one who selects the crew, determines the destination, the flight plan, and convinces the crew it's the right thing to do. Leaders make the plans and organize the resources, and the managers execute the plans.

Of course, there is overlap between the two disciplines, and depending on the situation, a manager can lead and a leader can manage from time to time. However, it is important to distinguish between the fundamental responsibilities of the two functions. The best salesman seldom makes a good leader of the sales department, and there is no guarantee that a good quarterback will be a good coach.

During the early 1980s, the business world went through an economic upheaval. During that period, I was able to observe how different leaders and managers behaved as they dealt with the stressful, challenging situation.

Some seemed unable to escape the drudgery of day-to-day trivia; they always looked busy, energetic and active; but careful examination revealed they were usually "fighting fires" and "killing alligators" in a haphazard manner without due consideration instead of preventing the fires and draining the swamp. They never managed to escape the dark shadows of the trees in order to rise up and look down on the forest in the clear light of day.

In contrast, others seemed to handle difficult challenges effortlessly with dispassionate thinking, a clear sense of purpose, and a laser-like focus on achieving results, never losing sight of the overall goal. They had the natural talent to see and understand the long term and the "big picture," even in stressful situations.

If you seem to be continually focused on the immediate moment, or if you often feel overwhelmed by the day-to-day activities going on around you, or if your thoughts seldom go beyond next week or next year, you may not have this talent.

Those who have this talent think deeply about life and other important matters. You know who you are. You have little concern for the details and trivia of your day-to-day existence. Of course, you deal with them as best you can and kill the alligators because they are an irritation, but your main focus is draining the swamp so the irritations go away.

You monitor world events and focus on doing the important things that you must do to control your life and improve your situation. You maintain focus on controlling your destiny and achieving your long-term aspirations and what you must do to live a flourishing life. And you know that if you do not control your destiny, someone else will―and that is unacceptable.