Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Entrepreneurial leadership.

The ideal personal profile of an entrepreneurial leader is someone who is strong on every level, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually:

- Physically strong - healthy, fit, and energetic.

- Mentally strong - tough, sharp, and disciplined. Can solve problems quickly and decisively. Comfortable handling conflict and adversity.

- Emotionally strong - in touch with his or her emotions. Human. Empathetic.

- Spiritually strong - is grounded, balanced. Has a rich inner life. Feels a deep connection and purpose. Has his or her life together.

Great leaders have high reserves in all areas of their life. This is the case when:

- They make sure their personal needs are met.
When you have unmet needs, you attract others in the same position.

- They tolerate nothing.
You are what you tolerate. When you put up with something, it costs you. Costs are expensive and thus unattractive. “The art of leadership is saying no, not yes. It’s very easy to say yes,” according to Tony Blair.

- They’re oriented exclusively around their values.
When you spend your days doing what fulfills you, you're attractive to others.

- They deliver twice what they promise.
When you consistently deliver more than was expected, people are drawn to you.

- They affect others profoundly.
The more you touch others, the more attractive you become. And optimism is a force multiplier.

Here’s a checklist of things to think about as you carry out your leadership roles:
- Are you really focused on results, or on your own needs?
- Are you open or closed to correction?
- Do you always try to learn, and teach others when you can?
- Do you hold yourself fully accountable in work, or shift responsibility when things go wrong?
- Do you move quickly to solutions or take perverse delight in problems?
- Can you earn people’s trust?
- Are you looking for progress, not perfection?

Finally, remember Pat Murray's observation; “No great leader is a scorekeeper – all the wealth happens on the way to somewhere else.”

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