1. LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES & BEGIN AGAIN.
Do not be so hard on yourself when you fail. Accept the fact that not every day is your day. As you go along with your life, you will inevitably commit mistakes. It’s not bad. There’s a reason why God let you experience these failures and downfalls. Perhaps, He just wants to teach you a character, a character that will add on to your growth as a person. Peter Ducker says “The better a man is, the more mistakes he will make, for the more new things he will try. I would never promote to a top-level job a man who was not making mistakes…” FAILURES PAVE THE ROAD FOR SUCCESS.
Maxwell’s acronym of MISTAKES:
M – messages that give us feedback about lifeI – interruptions that should cause us to reflect and think.
S – signposts that direct us to the right path.
T – tests that push us toward greater maturity.
A –awakenings that keep us in the game mentally.
K- keys that we can use to unlock the next door of opportunity.
E – explorations that let us journey where we’ve never been before.
S – statements about our development and progress.
2 . DON’T DO ALL THE TALKING, LEARN TO LISTEN.
This is quite personal. Frankly saying, I’m not a good listener and I realized that this hampers me to become an effective leader. Symptoms are, I always feel the need to say what’s in my head and make my point be counted. I could relate on Edgar Watson‘s joke “No man would listen to your talk if he didn’t know it was his turn next.”
To be a great leader is to know how to build positive relationship with his people. You don’t demand respect, you gain it! When you build positive relationship, you connect – you listen.
“People of influence understand the incredible value of becoming a good listener. “ – John Maxwell.
3. BE INTENTIONAL
Don’t waste time, work with a purpose - make every action count. Some people believe that it’s cool when you just simply drift down the stream of life and journey your life with no plans being look to. I say if you want to be successful, be focused and purpose-driven. Time flies and you have to value every second of it.
“ So then, whenever we have opportunity , let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.” – Galatians 6:10 (NET Ver.)
4. HOW YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET
How do you see this glass? Half empty or half full?“Your attitude determines your outlook.” – John Maxwell. When problems come, how do you face it? Do you take it as a test to pass through or a punishment to be cursed to? No matter what your natural bent is, you can learn how to build on the good you find in any situation. The key – change of mindset.
5. ATTRACT FOLLOWERS
Be friendly with your actions. Highlight the strengths & skills of your team rather than nag them of their weaknesses & mistakes. This is a good strategy to earn their trust & respect in order to build a positive relationship with them. Leadership is relationship not authority & position. It is better when people follow you because they respect you not because they have fear on you.
