7 Simple Tips That Will Turn You Into a Powerful Leader

You don't have to be in a position of authority to be a leader. Conversely, just because you have authority doesn't mean that people will follow you. You must be a leader to get others to follow you.

There are many books on leadership. They can have lots of great examples and in-depth explanations, but sometimes you just need something simple to help you focus on the essentials. This article intends to do just that. These are the habits that will help you and your team achieve great things if you focus on them.

1. Goals
   Make it simple and easy for your team to understand the mission and to understand their part in achieving it.
   
   • Concise Goals. Keep them simple and easy to understand.
     
   • Focus your team on as few goals as possible.
   • Communicate the team's goals often and through various means (team meetings, individual meetings, emails, posters, slogans). And then do it some more.
     
   • Track progress on goals.
   • Involve team players in tracking the goals so that they own the results.
     
   
   
2. Motivating People
   What you reward gets done. It's that simple.
   
   • Incent team players to do the tasks that are most critical for reaching the team's goals. Make sure the rewards are meaningful to people. Understand each player and what they want from their job and in life. That's how you'll know how to reward them.
   • Praise, Thank, and Recognize big and small contributions by individuals. Do this often and then do it some more.
   • Set High Expectations. People will live UP to or DOWN to the expectations you set. Set them high and you're saying, "I believe in your ability to do great things!"
   • Empower people by delegating responsibility.
     
   • Celebrate team accomplishments often.
   • Encourage Fun. Make the work place a fun place to be. Yes, work needs to get done but short fun breaks can make all the difference in the culture of your team.
   • Pride. Foster a sense of pride in your team. As a team you could establish a mascot, create a team chant, and have a meeting that is focused solely on each individual's strengths and the team's overall strengths.
     
3. Walk Your Talk
   You need to practice what you preach. This is how you establish trust and credibility.
   
   • Model the Way by participating in the team's tasks as much as your position allows.
   • Be Honest. Deliver on your promises. Actions speak louder than words.
     
   • Challenge Yourself. Do your best (and then some) just like you ask your team to do their best.
   • Speak Up. Just like your team members sometimes need to let you know what they've done in order for you to be able to recognize and praise them. They, in turn, need to know what you've been working on and what you've accomplished. So find ways to communicate this, modeling this key behavior.
     
   • Stay Sharp. You need to be competent for others to follow you. If you're not improving, you're falling behind. Always be learning and keep on top of the latest skills, technology, and knowledge in your field.
     
4. Inspire through a combination of
   
   • Unwavering Positive Future Vision
     
   • Commitment to Improve things along the way that will make that positive vision a reality.
   • Ability to Bootstrap as necessary when resources are tight.
     
5. Process Power
   Good process is like having a high performance machine. Sloppy process makes things fall apart. So be sure to establish these key habits with your team.
   
   • Establish Routines. Do this for the team and also work with each individual to come up with their own high productivity routines. These are routines that dictate what work is done when.
     
   • Establish Processes for all the tasks that are done repeatedly. It takes time to set up at first, but after that it will pay off in saved time and less errors. Processes describe how work is done and might involve systems for doing the work.
     
   • Task Assignment. As much as possible, assign tasks according to the strengths of each teammate.
     
6. Change
   Embrace change by seeking it out. This will tread a path for your teammates to follow.
   
   • Change Routines Quarterly. Look for better ways to achieve the team's goals.
   • Take Risks. Don't be afraid of failure. No one ever reaches great heights without a few failures.
   • Learn. Learn as a team from failures. "How can we improve it the next time?"
     
   • Encourage team members to take smart risks too by making it safe to fail. Focus on learning from past experiences and building upon them to find better solutions.
     
7. Advocacy
   Support your team and they'll support you.
   
   • Promote your team members. Make sure others outside your team know about the individual team members' successes. You want your team members to excel and even graduate away from your team possibly. Don't worry. If your team is great there will be plenty of others who will want to join! This natural turnover of team members is like the renewal of cells in your body. It is necessary and healthy.
     
   • Promote your team. It's your job to market the great accomplishments of your team in order to get the rewards, recognition, and resources that your team deserves.
   • Fight for the most important resources and changes that will benefit your team and the organization overall. Remember to pick your battles wisely.

What else do you think is essential for a good leader? Got a good story? Please share in the comments. We'd love to hear from you!

Written on 11/7/2007 by K. Stone, the author of of Life Learning Today, a blog about daily life improvements. Republished on 5/14/2011.

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How to Turn Your Dream Into a Plan In Five Simple Steps

I’m sure you have plenty of dreams for your life. They might bubble away at the back of your mind. They might loom in your thoughts all day. They might even keep you awake at night.

Dreams can be powerful, encouraging and even a bit scary. A dream alone, though, isn’t going to get you far.

What you need is a plan.

And if that sounds too boring, think of it this way: if you want to actually have that dream, a plan is the map that gets you there.

Here are five steps for turning that vague dream into a concrete plan:

Step #1: Write Down Your Dream
How many of your dreams have you actually written down?

Perhaps the idea of committing your dreams to writing is a little frightening. Don’t resist doing it. The act of putting something into words on paper (or in a computer document) suggests that you’re committing to it – and this can be very powerful in helping you eventually achieve that dream.

Even better, when you write something down, you’re forced to think it through. That vague dream of “have lots of money” has to become something firmer – perhaps “make $100,000/year” or “have $200,000 in the bank”.

Step #2: Brainstorm Some Possibilities
Whatever your dream, there’s more than one way to reach it. For instance, if you want to make lots of money, you could:

• Change careers to something more lucrative
  
• Work harder in your current job to get a promotion
  
• Go back to college and study for a degree
  
• Start up your own business as an entrepreneur
  
• Save up money and put it into a high-interest account
  
• Marry someone rich
  
• Buy a winning lottery ticket
  

There are lots of possibilities (and I hope you can see that some of those ones are a bit more realistic than others!) When you’re brainstorming, include all the ideas that come to mind – even ones which seem silly or impractical. You might find that a “stupid” idea leads you on to a really good one.

Step #3: Pick One Clear Goal
Once you’ve figured out some possibilities, come up with one clear goal. You might decide, for instance, that your goal is to change to a particular career which will give you a $80,000/year paycheck.

Look for a goal which is perhaps challenging, but achievable. There’s no point in picking a goal which you’re convinced you can’t really manage – that’s just going to put you back in the world of dreams, where you constantly think about a better future without taking any action towards getting there.

Step #4: Give Yourself a Deadline
It’s much easier to hit your goals when you’re working towards a deadline.

Again, you want to be realistic here – but don’t be afraid to challenge yourself a little. If you’ve got a really big goal, you might want to look two – five years ahead. With smaller goals, you can probably achieve them within a year.

With the example of changing career, you might decide that three years is a realistic timeframe. It’s often helpful to tie your deadline to a particular event – perhaps your 40^th birthday or Christmas 2014.

Step #5: Write Down the Steps to Get You There
And now we’re onto the plan itself. This is where you really get into the nitty-gritty and start turning that dream into something real.

With big goals, it’s often helpful to work backwards. So:

• What are the job requirements of that new career?
  
• How can you achieve them (e.g. take night classes)?
  
• Are there any pre-requisites for that (e.g. you need some money to pay for the classes)?
  
• How can you do that?
  

You should be able to get to a clear step which lets you move forwards from where you are, such as “save $20/week for six months”.

If you have any steps which you don’t know how to complete, try breaking them down further. Figure out exactly what you need to do to achieve your dream – and you’ve got a plan which really can change your life.

So – what’s your dream? And what’s the first step on your plan? Let us know in the comments.

Written on 5/20/2011 by Ali Luke. Ali writes a blog, Aliventures, about leading a productive and purposeful life (get the RSS feed here). As well as blogging, she writes fiction, and is studying for an MA in Creative Writing.

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Learning To Say No: 6 Simple Tips To Do It

A few months ago, I received a business pitch. It was from an acquaintance I was on good terms with, and the pitch was based on something we verbally discussed and agreed on in the past. However, sometime had passed since our last conversation, and things had changed.

I was no longer keen on the opportunity, but didn't quite know how to put it across to him. I didn't want to jeopardize our relationship and any potential future working opportunities because of this.

So I procrastinated in replying to the mail. I put it into a "reply later" folder and got on to other stuff. Every few days when I check my folder, it'd be there, and I'd think "Ah I'll reply this later". I wondered if he would be angry knowing that I had changed my stance. At times I contemplated not replying at all, but I thought it wouldn't be appropriate, especially since we knew each other and we had a common friend too.

Finally one day, I decided to get on with it and reply to the mail. I typed out the mail, and crafted it a few words at a time. In it, I apologized for my delayed reply, and at the same time truthfully explained my situation and that I had no plans to take up the opportunity anymore. After reading it through, I clicked "Send" and hoped for the best.

Within 10 minutes of sending the mail, I got a reply, much to my surprise. It was early in the morning (8ish) and I didn't think that he would be in the office. The reply was very amiable. He said there was no worries at all, and he wished me a great year ahead in the meantime. Just like that. And it was done.

Have you ever had to say no before and feel conflicted about doing so? Many times we make a big deal out of saying "no", afraid that we will be committing a hideous crime by saying. In our minds, we are scared that the other people will be angry, that we will be loathed on, that we'll be deemed as making things difficult for others.

The thing is, many of these thoughts are self-created, and not real. Saying no really is a prerogative, and shouldn't be as difficult as we make it out to be. It's about learning how to do so. Here are 6 simple tips how you can learn to say no:

1. Realize it's okay to say no
   No matter who you are speaking to and what the situation is, you have the right to say no. The only reason why you feel you don't have that right is because you choose to relinquish it to others. Rather than think that we can't say no, it's about learning how to say it and put it across in a manner that the other party can understand and accept.
   
   Even if it's your boss or someone of higher seniority that you're dealing with, and you don't feel that you can say no, realize that it's your choice to say yes because you're unwilling to deal with the consequences of saying no. Ultimately everything in life boils down to us and the choices we make.


2. Know your priorities
   What are your biggest goals this year? Would you prefer to spend time on these goals or on this new commitment? Knowing your goals reinforces your reasons for saying no. For example since a while back, I decided to stop taking pro-bono speaking/workshop requests, because each commitment takes up considerable time and effort and it just isn't worth the effort to do them for free anymore. I've also decided to say no to local engagements, as these require me to be situated in Singapore, and my plans for the year ahead involve traveling overseas. Knowing my vision and plans has made it much easier to say no.


3. Write everything down first
   If you're not sure how to start, dump out everything on your mind first in the email, without intending to send it out right away. It can be gibberish. It can be thoughts of frustration. Treat it as writing a draft reply. The process of doing this helps sort out your thoughts. After you finish dumping out your thoughts, you'll find it much easier to craft your actual reply from there. This works for me every time.


4. Keep it simple
   There's no need to over-explain yourself. Simply say no, and give the key reason why. Some people may run into the mistake of writing a lengthy explanation letter/email, and it's unnecessary. Not only does it bog down the other party with details, it also weakens your position. In my rejection mails, I usually keep them to 3 paragraphs - first paragraph as a greeting, and the second paragraph with my rejection and short explanation why. In the last paragraph, I provide a couple of alternative options he/she can seek out (see tip #5).


5. Provide an alternative
   This is not necessary, but if you feel bad about saying no, you can provide an alternative option to cushion out the effect. For example, if the person wants to work on a project with you but you cannot commit to it, you can recommend a few leads to him/her who can do equally good job as you. That way, the person won't be left hanging and he/she can seek out these options instead. Usually in my rejections, I'll provide a couple of quick leads/options out of courtesy.


6. Just say no
   Sometimes I wonder about how to say no, and in the end I just go with a straightforward "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can't take it up" answer. Surprisingly, the other parties take to it very readily like the example above, making me realize that a lot of conflicts I have with saying no are more my own illusions than anything else! As long as you're earnest, candid and respectful of the other party in the reply, there shouldn't be any reason why there would be an issue.

How about you?Is there a request you're planning to say no to? How can you apply the tips above to send your message across? Share in the comments area below!

Written on 6/10/2011 by Celestine Chua. Celestine writes at The Personal Excellence Blog, where she shares her best advice on how to achieve personal excellence and live your best life. Get her RSS feed directly and add her on Twitter @celestinechua. If you like this article, you will enjoy one of her top articles: 101 Things To Do Before You Die.

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21 Simple Ways to Live an Exceptional Life

Everyone wants to live an exceptional life. The problem arises when it comes time to define what that means to you. If you embrace someone else’s definition of what an exceptional life is, you will end up disappointed sooner or later, because you alone have to determine what you want.

It can be tough to get clear on what you want, and you won’t always be perfectly clear, but the goal isn’t to be clear, the goal is to move forward and explore. If you knew everything, life would get boring fast. There has to be a degree of uncertainty to keep things interesting.

With that said, I thought I’d throw in a few ways on how you can get

1. Be Kind
   One of the first things you want to do in order to live an exceptional life is to be kind. Being kind is nothing special, yet at the same time it is. It can be smiling at people in your neighborhood, or helping a friend out. Treat people as you would like to be treated.


2. Learn
   Become a lifelong learner. Study personal development material and incorporate the lessons you learn into your own life.
   
   If you do this, you will see your life transform in more ways than you can imagine right now, because even one new tweak each and every week will yield powerful results in a few years.
   


3. Exercise
   We all have physical bodies, and the better you take care of yours, the better you will feel. When you exercise regularly, not only will you have more energy, but you will also have more clarity and sense of purpose.
   
   I know that you’ve heard this over and over. However, most people still haven’t applied it and taken action. If you are in this group, you have to ask yourself why!
   


4. Face Your Fears
   Everyone has things that they are afraid of. The truth of the matter is that when you face your fears, they melt away.
   
   What happens is that you realize that your fears are nowhere near as scary as you make them out to be. So face your fears and go after what you truly want, because that is what you deserve.
   


5. Release Blocks
   Throughout our lives we’ve picked up strategies and ways of doing things that aren't helpful anymore.
   
   There are easy and elegant ways to release emotional blocks and negativity in your life. I personally recommend NLP and EFT, but you may want to do some research and discover what fits with you.
   


6. Set Goals
   Setting smart goals can be as simple as writing down what you want to accomplish in three months, one year, five years, and ten years.
   
   Sometimes you won't reach your goals, but they help you move in the right direction. Set goals, and become clear about what you truly want to achieve and accomplish in life, as well as how you want to feel when you’ve got it all.
   


7. Dream Big
   Don't be afraid to dream big. If you’ve always visualized being a world renowned writer, then go for it and see what happens.
   
   It may come to pass, or it may lead you onto another path that may be even more fulfilling than the one you thought you wanted. Life has a way of surprising you from time to time, so plan for it.
   


8. Simplify
   There's no need to clutter up your life. When you simplify and get rid of the stuff that you don't need, you will feel more clear and better about yourself.
   
   You don't have to spend all your money on “stuff,” because what we truly want is to feel good, and the best experiences in life are free anyway.
   


9. Meditate
   Meditation literally opens new doors in life and in your mind. At least that is what I have experienced, having meditated for almost a decade.
   
   Meditation is as simple as focusing your attention on one thing. It could be focusing on your breathing when you're washing the dishes, or just noticing your muscles as you're outside taking a walk.
   


10. Be Yourself
    Almost everyone has been taught that being yourself is not enough. But you may also have realized that you cannot not be yourself, because that is what and who you are.
    
    You are on this blue planet of ours for a reason, and the only way you can do what you were meant to do is by being yourself.
    


11. Be Honest
    I don’t know about you, but honesty and integrity are values that are very high up on my list. If you want others to treat you with honesty, then you have to be honest. That means not telling small lies that might make your life easier. Become aware of the fact that there are no harmless lies.
    


12. Focus on Your Strengths
    Life is too short to worry about things that you're not good at, and may not even like. If you like something and aren't good at it yet, then go ahead and learn more about it.
    
    But you don't have to improve your weaknesses, because you can just focus on your strengths and become even more exceptional.
    


13. Trust Your Heart
    In the beginning it can be difficult to trust your heart because your mind tends to get in the way. But, once you start following your heart and realize that it guides you in the right direction, your mind will have enough proof to trust that your heart knows what it's doing.
    
    Besides, when you start trusting your heart, your life becomes much more interesting, and dare I say: exceptional.
    


14. Eliminate Excuses
    Life is too short to make excuses and avoid doing what you really want to do.
    There is no such thing as security or comfort. Most people that have security and comfort are bored out of their mind. And when you're bored, it means that you are shutting yourself out from what the world has to offer. So go ahead and face your fears, eliminate your excuses, and go after what you truly desire.
    


15. Kill Perfectionism
    Perfectionism has killed many dreams; don't let it kill yours. You’ve probably learned that making mistakes is bad, but that couldn't be further from the truth.
    
    It isn't until you fail and make mistakes that you begin learning what works and what doesn't. We are all different, so we have to travel our path and discover what we truly want from life.
    


16. Explore the Weird
    Don't hold yourself back from exploring the weird parts of life. I know there are things that you enjoy that you are afraid of enjoying fully, because of what others would think of you.
    
    There are people out there in the world just like you. And you aren't going to feel fulfilled until you embrace the entirety of who you are.
    


17. Surround Yourself with Awesome
    When you surround yourself with exceptional people, your life will become exceptional. If you have friends that drain you of energy, it's time to let them go.
    
    It's time to set boundaries for what you allow into your life, if you want to live a truly awesome and passionate life. It can be done, but the decision always starts with you.
    


18. Learn from Negativity
    Often the most negative events in our lives end up teaching us valuable lessons that come in handy down the road. When you are experiencing negativity, it may not feel like it is there for a reason, but it is. This is what experience has shown me to be true, but I may be wrong.
    
    You’ll just have to go out there and find out for yourself, won’t you?
    


19. Enjoy Life
    And above all else, remember to enjoy life and smell the roses. When you walk, remember to breathe deeply and be grateful for what you already have.
    
    You can always want more, but stop and appreciate what you already have, because if you don’t do it now, when will you?
    


20. Find Your Passion
    Personally, I think finding your passion in life is one of the most crucial things you can do, because it gives you a sense of purpose and it makes you feel fulfilled.
    
    When you find your passion, it will carry you through the tough times and help you create the life of your dreams. But it all starts by asking the question: What makes you come alive?
    


21. Follow Your Passion
    Once you've found your passion, it's time to start taking massive action in making it a reality. I started doing this just a few years ago, and I'm amazed at how far I've come in this short period of time.
    
    You, too, can do this if you truly decide to start right away. It's easy to put things off and wait for the perfect moment, but if you do that, you will be waiting for the rest of your life.

Do you really want to do that, or would you like to start now?

Written on 6/16/2011 by Henri Junttila. Henri writes at Wake Up Cloud, where he shares his personal tips on how you can live the life you know you deserve. When you feel ready to take action, get his free course: Find Your Passion in 5 Days or Less. And if you liked this article, you will enjoy one of his top articles: 77 Great Quotes That Will Change Your Life.

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