Determined To Lead
Determination - Nerve - Grit!

Lessons In Leadership

Determination, persistence, nerve, grit, good old-fashioned "doggedness" - all great leaders have these enviable traits.

When Lincoln was asked how Grant impressed him as a General, he replied, "The greatest thing about him is cool persistency of purpose. He has the grip of a bulldog; when he gets his teeth in, nothing can shake him off."

Grant was indeed determined, as evidenced by his famous lines; "On to Richmond!" and "I propose to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer."

Grant's strong will and determination ultimately won the rebellion.

It is this thing called determination, partnered with a clear and honorable purpose - that paves the way for success in life.

The world admires a person of true grit, someone who never flinches from unexpected difficulties.

Determination always commands respect. It is this determination quality that is in us which enables us to achieve, and everybody admires achievement.

Are you determined? Do you possess the willpower and determination to overcome life's obstacles?

The fact is that all of us started out in life with an instinct to achieve and a determination to overcome obstacles.

A typical example of this trait we are all born with includes our early journey toward taking our first steps. We all desired at a very young age to stand and walk - and eventually we overcame our obstacles and achieved success.

Only after first crawling your way around the house and the back yard, and after countless failed attempts to stand, did you take your first step and eventually master the art of walking upright.

So, it is in you!

Determination is not an exclusive trait only granted to the most fortunate. We are all born with this advantage in us.

Unfortunately, too many fall victim to those who tease and taunt. Over time their self-esteem weakens and they no longer believe in themself as they once had.

Exercising our free will, our iron will, is something we need to do regularly.

Like any muscle in the body, lack of exercise can lead to deterioration - and our determined will to achieve can be temporarily lost. But it does not have to be lost forever.

A little boy was once asked how he learned to skate. "Oh, by getting up every time I fell down," he replied.

The same lesson must be understood in business. There is no open door to success. In order to enter, most likely you will need to "push" the door open!

Forward momentum is our greatest asset. With each step forward we come closer to achieving our end-purpose.

Crop by crop for the farmer, picture by picture for the photographer and the painter, mile by mile for the runner, case by case for the investigator, sale by sale for the salesperson - this unwavering determination will provide the education and experience that will secure what so many desire, SUCCESS!

In business, the word "commitment" is often overused and has become somewhat of a cliche'.

In your next team meeting, instead of asking for every team member's "commitment", ask "What are you determined to accomplish?"

Simply by re-phrasing an over-used question will shake things up and arouse your team's curiosity.

Now that you have their attention, take your team through the following steps:

• Identify one key activity or end-result that each person is determined to accomplish. Be specific.
• Ask why this is important. What is the ultimate purpose?
• Ask if they are certain the task is achievable. Make sure their goal is realistic. If their stated goal is to broad, help to break it down into smaller tasks that can be managed for effectively.
• Get clear on how their success will be measured. How will he/she know if their determination has paid off!
• Ensure that a time for completion is stated clearly. By end of week, end of Month, etc.

Does the above process sound familiar? Hopefully it does - you have just walked your team through setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time Sensitive) goals, as described in a prior issue. The key point here is that you did this in a new and very creative way that got your team thinking.

Instead of mindlessly stating their "tried and true" weekly commitment - they went a little deeper and considered more thoroughly their plan for accomplishment.

Pat yourself on the back! You are effectively leading your team!

Self-growth is proportionate to your desire to improve.

If you possess a strong desire to be more than you are, then improvement can quickly be realized once you conquer your desire for self-indulgence.

For all who seek self-improvement "there is a lion in the way," the lion of self-indulgence - and only by conquering this lion can steady progress be assured.

Self-indulgence can also be seen as immediate gratification. Spending too much precious time on activities that provide a quick payoff.

TV, for example, is one of our greatest "time suckers". Television can be a great escape and provide a temporary feeling of relaxation, but over time years of our lives are wasted. So much can be accomplished in our "spare moments" if only you can give up your "wasted hours".

Observe any neighbor or friend and take note of how he spends his spare time, his evenings and his weekends. Look closely and you can quickly predict his future.

Now assess your own time habits.

By consistently making better use of our spare moments, we can acheive great things in a relatively short time period.

Hint: The time you took reading this article is time that you have spent investing in your own self-growth.

All your life, remain determined to grow.

Here are yet a few more of your supportive testimonials.

"Excellent! Lots of well-organized, invaluable information for my new business so I set the right tone with employees from the very beginning."
Rachel

"The first place where I have found a complete format and genuine evidence of a desire to teach for benefit NOT for profit."
Chandler

"Excellent source for self-improvement."
Saeed

"I always find something I can use for myself, and for the classes I teach in leadership, customer service, and job readiness. I Co-chair a community Leadership program in my county. Your materials are a great help!"
Linda

"Thank you very much for sharing with us such valuable knowledge and information needed in these stressful times for free. May God richly bless you and make your business grow."
Edward Young

To all of our subscribers: Please let us know your thoughts by completing our:

"This article and all information contained herein is used by permission only, and is the property of Leadership-tools.com. Receive their FREE monthly newsletter Leadership Tools Monthly News, by subscribing at www.Leadership-tools.com. Personal information is never shared or sold. All information remains private."