SkillInside

In the words of Napoleon Hill,  it is not what you are going to do but what you are doing today that counts. You can learn everything you need to learn in order to achieve anything, but you can never change your leadership until you change your rituals. Rituals can strengthen and spotlight the values, intentions, and experiences you have chosen to live by; they and can be useful when we are trying to figure out what is important. Here are some things that great leaders are doing wholeheartedly to make each day count. Ritual of READING :   Books are the understated and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of mentors, and the most patient of teachers. Become an avid reader; invest your time by reading something educational, inspirational, or motivational. Ritual of LISTENING:   Leaders know that time is precious. Give yourself the advantage of learning something new by listening to audio programs—and repeat them until you have di...

Consumers almost always tell researchers that they prefer to have many versions of a product from which to choose. But, in fact, consumers’ perceptions of how many choices they prefer change depending on whether they intend to use an item for pleasure or to meet a functional need. (Think of a swimsuit desired for beachwear versus swimming laps.) For retailers, that difference has big implications for the problem of assortment — how many variations of a single product to offer. Consumers motivated by pleasure believe that what pleases them differs greatly from what pleases most other people. They will therefore prefer a large assortment. But when seeking to meet a utilitarian need with the same product, they are less inclined to see their preferences as being greatly different from those of other people. They will then be satisfied by a smaller assortment from which to choose. That’s what we found recently when we conducted a  series of six experiments  in which p...

If you don’t break your annoying habits you will never become the leader you want to be.  We all tend to judge others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions, but one of the things required of great leaders is a significant level of self-awareness. You have to be able to step back and assess your own behavior, just as you would a team member’s, and look objectively at how that behavior influences your team and its work. Here are some of the most common things leaders do to annoy and alienate the people around them. Check yourself against this list and start today to make any changes you need. When you do, you’ll be improving your leadership—and setting a great example for your team. 1. Having to feel like the smartest person in the room.  Sure, it feels good, but it intimidates others and makes them less likely to share their ideas and opinions. 2. Blaming others and finding fault.  When there’s a problem, do you gather the team to find solutions and...

Great leaders come from all eras, all levels of society, and all cultures–but there are certain beliefs great leaders share. These core beliefs are the foundation of your leadership, the things that will help you become successful. See how many you share: 1. Leading by example. Albert Schweitzer said, “Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.” The people around you are watching your every move and looking to emulate you. 2. Balancing vision and execution. Success requires two interrelated elements: a compelling and clearly articulated vision and the ability to inspire others to work with you in carrying it out. 3. Showing respect. Earning the respect of others is important, but showing respect is the foundation of meaningful relationships–and therefore of leadership. 4. Accepting accountability. Being accountable means that you accept responsibility for the outcomes expected of you, both good and bad. You don’t blame others, and yo...

When people talk about leaving a legacy, they’re usually thinking in terms of what they can do at the end of their lives to make an impact. But I strongly believe that your legacy will be measured by what you do every day, all day. The most influential people, the ones who leave behind incredible legacies, live on in the hearts of the people they’ve touched along the way. When was the last time you went back and spent time thinking about the basic questions? What is my role in life? What am I good at? How can I take stock? How do I want to be remembered? The best possible use of our lives is to spend them on something that will outlast us. And the way to create a great leadership legacy is to carve your name on the hearts and etch it into the minds of others, creating the stories that will make up your legacy. You can start making your mark right now by defining for yourself these six pillars of greatness: Your character will leave an impression.  Character plays a v...

Good leaders, like professional athletes, make everything they do look easy. But in reality, many of them have to work hard to manage or compensate for potentially career-limiting traits. I’ve worked with many executives as a business leadership coach, and I’ve come to understand that becoming a better leader requires a strategy and suggestions on how to improve. With that principle in mind, here are five ways you can become a better leader immediately. Practice self-awareness.  Think of yourself as the conductor of an orchestra—focused on helping every person on your team perform at their best. To be effective in this work, you need to understand your own strengths as well as your weaknesses and leadership gaps. Understanding yourself helps you leverage your strengths and your gaps. And at the end of the day, we all need to understand what challenges us and allow that awareness to become better leaders. What we understand, we own—and what we own doesn’t own us. Learn ho...