SkillInside

Anyone can become a leader--but to be an inspiring leader--you need powerful traits that count. We often think that people are just born with natural great leadership skills. But of course that's a myth--the truly inspirational leaders are the ones who are constantly working for self -development and self-improvement. It's a learning process that is never-ending, and it comes with the understanding that it's not about the destination but the journey of leadership that matters. To be an inspirational business leader, set your motto to be " How can we raise each other up? " Then keep that focus throughout the day, with these principles to guide you. 1. People skills make a difference.  As a leader, you may have technical skills that will get your foot in the door--but it will be your people skills that will open those doors. Many leaders are great at what they know. They are smart with information and brilliant when it comes to making decisions, but it...

Your business is more than the money you make. A company's purpose is what will drive your long term success. I recently wrote about the drive among millennial entrepreneurs to start companies that don't just seek profit, but to achieve a higher purpose. This sort of purpose-driven entrepreneurship isn't just a millennial fad, but an important way to transform your business regardless of generational identity. Purpose driven organizations are getting a lot of buzz these days. Purely financial measures of success like profit and shareholder value are, after all, not the only measure of success for a company. They may not even be the best measures. After all, profit doesn't define a company. It isn't a very good guide for developing a product or strategy, nor does it inspire passion in employees or loyalty among consumers. Purpose and values , on the other hand, are at the core of your company's identity. Purpose is a broader way of looking at what dif...

The literature available about leadership is infinite. Life coaches, motivational speakers, pastors, etc. spread the word on how to be the next hero. But you can't really capture the essence of leadership in words. Albert Einstein famously said, "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." In other words, leadership isn't that easy. In some ways, however, it is as simple as possible to comprehend. It's really a lifestyle choice. It's the way you carry yourself around your teammates and coaches. A team is a special fraternity that a lot of people get left out of and don't understand. The first step in being a leader for your team is understanding this exclusivity. Not everyone can join the club, so it is your responsibility to hold up the values that make your entity special. Not everyone can be a Michael Jordan or Phil Jackson - two wildly different types of leaders, and two leaders as part of the same team. They were...

Building a team that exceeds expectations every time is easy. When you follow this formula. Don't leave your team results to chance! "Talent wins games but teamwork wins championships." ~Michael Jordan. In all aspects of our life, teamwork plays a vital role. Whether we're on a field or in the boardroom, we engage with and depend on others to accomplish virtually every task. Because we depend so heavily on teams, we don't want to leave it to chance to construct and manage them. Fortunately for us, researchers and entrepreneurs  Rich Karlgaard  and Michael S. Malone distill the process of creating the highest performing teams in their best-selling book,  Team Genius: The New Science of High Performing Teams . Here are five of the most important factors for high-performing teams, along with some unusual findings that may contradict your previous assumptions about successful-team building. 1. Self-awareness at the team level. Wh...

Mental strength involves more than just having willpower. It requires the habits of hard work and commitment Mental toughness is the ability to perform at a high level when the stakes are at their highest. It takes focus and determination to see your way through any circumstance or situation. Whether you're undertaking an arduous task or bouncing back from an epic failure, mental toughness means you don't allow the situation to overwhelm or overthrow you. It means you know how to manage your thoughts and behavior to keep them aimed on the results you want. Those who are unstoppable through difficult circumstances are likely to have invested time and effort building their mental strength through good habits of mind. Here are 10 habits we would all do well to emulate. 1. Control what you can before it controls you.   We cannot control many things, but we're always in control of our thinking. Negative thoughts and worry leave less energy for crea...