Most people make lists, some are of things to remember, some are of things to do, usually later, but this is a list of what a leader can do to be most effective. It's also important to remember that a leader cannot just check the boxes, they have to engage, inspire and motivate people. That is the intention of my checklist for leaders.
Before we start down the list it's important to remember people are wired to be average but created and capable of becoming extraordinary. Here is my checklist of things a leader must do if they want to be extraordinary and help people experience excellence. The list isn't in any particular order because the real secret lies in apply these things when they are needed most, not in doing them as a process, but as an engagement with the people you are responsible to lead. It's about instilling a performance culture and inspiring people to think and believe the things on the list. Then, they will do them naturally as part of who they are, not just a task to be accomplished, but a way of thinking, living, working and engaging others.
CHECKLIST FOR LEADERS
Excellence is the result of never accepting mediocrity, average or the status quo. Excellence is the result of obsession, persistence a relentless pursuit of improvement.
Set standards and hold people accountable to meet them. Always be focused on and working towards
improvements.
The lowest form of behavior you allow, accept or tolerate defines who you are as a leader and becomes your company's, or organization's, culture. Raise the standards!
People are spirit, mind and body...Treat them with this as your priority and serve the whole person!
Understand that attitudes come from the spirit, skills from the mind and actions from the body. So attitudes are more important than skills.
Leaders who coach, win. Coaches adjust attitudes to improve performance.
Skills can be taught when attitudes are right, so keep teaching skills.
Actions reveal attitudes and skills, so manage actions and use the feedback to keep coaching and teaching.
Companies don't improve, people do. So, start helping people improve!
People move in the direction of their dominant thoughts...So, start manage people's dominant thoughts.
If you manage results, you're too late to lead because results come from actions, caused by attitudes.
Manage, adjust and instill attitudes to produce the best results...Managing attitudes is a leaders top priority.
Find and define your higher purpose that makes people more important than things.
Character is more important than reputation, so build your character daily.
You don't build relationship, you build trust and it causes relationships. So, never miss and opportunity to build trust.
A leader is always being watched...You lead by example whether you like it or not. People who don't want to learn, grow and improve are watching you for an excuse not to.
You have to overcome your human nature to be extraordinary and you'll have to help others do the same to be their best.
The whole truth is always more than can be seen or explained by one person.
You'll have to do the things you don't want to do, to get what you want.
You have to teach, motivate and inspire people to do the things they don't want to do, to help them get what they want and to become their best.
Trust is the most valuable currency in the world, so the truth is always the best choice and option.
It takes courage to be honest, but honesty isn't enough to be trustworthy, that requires keeping your commitments, care about others and following up and through.
Be present, pay attention and listen to people to show respect and let people know you care about them.
Communicating openly, honestly and directly isn't just the best policy, it's the only policy. Be prepared to hear the truth as well as speak it.
Most people don't really want to be extraordinary but they also don't like the idea of being mediocre.
Easy never produces excellence and you'll have to be obsessed with excellence to experience it.
People won't always like you while you're challenging them to be their best, so stop trying to please people and be committed to serving them.
You'll have to make the hard decisions and take the tough actions and this can only be done if you truly care enough about people to serve them.
Spend time with the people that need you the most and that's probably not who you'll naturally want to spend it with.
Culture does always trump tactics and culture is the cumulative, pervasive, dominant attitude of the people they lead and their responsibility to manage.
It's your job to help people be prepared to, and perform to, their best.
It's a strength to be humble, gracious and forgiving.
Forgiveness doesn't mean acceptance, it just means learning from but letting go of past mistakes.
Never defend the status quo...Be a change agent by not only embracing change but promoting it.
Change isn't painful, it's resistance to change that causes the pain.
Leadership is an act of service, caring and love to help people learn, grow and improve.
The only leaders people care about are the ones that care about people. Be that leader!
Leadership, like love is an action! The act of leadership is an engagement, it's a service that's all about helping people learn, grow and improve. It's not a process, so go and figure our how you can be of help to others and the things on my list will begin to make sense and happen naturally from your heart.
By Mike Moore
