Leadership Article 2: What Smart Leaders Do....

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WHAT 'SMART' LEADERS DO: L - Learn. All leaders are learners. When you cease to

learn, you cease to lead. E - Engage. A leader will be able to influence

followers only in proportion to how much he/she engages them on an emotional

level. Smart Leaders engage people in four ways: a consistent ethic, a

contagious enthusiasm, a course of excellence, and continual empowerment. A -

Anticipate. Leaders are always asking two questions: "What happens next?" and

"What happens after what happens next?" Although no one can predict THE future,

effective leaders constantly anticipate possible futures. D - Demonstrate.

Leaders model for followers the qualities required for success, when Smart

Leaders demonstrate integrity, innovation and intelligence. You attract what

you reflect, but you reproduce what you are. E - Evolve. Leaders never stop

growing. Smart Leaders realise that they are on a journey that requires the

conquering of ever - steepening mountains. Yesterday's approaches, attitudes

and attributes do not always help in today's climate. The heights that a leader

obtains are directly proportional to the level to which they evolve. Stop

changing and you die. R - Reproduce. Leaders reproduce other leaders. The

ultimate action of Smart Leaders is that they reproduce other Smart Leaders. A

leader's successors determine his success. S - Solve. One of the great works of

leadership is problem solving. While problem solving is not the sole work of

leadership, it is a defining characteristic. Your ability to successfully solve

problems will determine your stability. Your ability to influence others will

determine your success. H - Hope. A Smart Leader's actions will inspire hope in

his/her followers. He/she has the unique ability to communicate hope in all that

they do. Napoleon rightly quipped, "A leader is a dealer in hope." But remember,

the Smart Leader must have a vision in which all hope is focused. Hope without

vision is aimless wandering. I - Initiate. Leaders take action, they initiate,

invent, adapt and improvise. An indecisive person will never lead. One mantra

for leaders is Napoleon Hill's famous "Do It Now!" P - Persevere. When seized

by a vision, Smart Leaders never give up! They persevere until completion.

Samuel Johnson writes, "Great works are performed not by strength but by

perseverance." In thinking about LEADERSHIP, take time to ponder the acts of

leaders. Thinking precedes action and action precedes feelings.

 

Smart Leaders determine the actions of Leadership and then act as Leaders.

 

http://www.SmartLeadership.com/magazine/view.asp?id=70

Remain Blessed! Duty is God, Work is Worship