Leaders Lead Themselves Archives

My Personal Civil War: What Happens When Behaviors or Motivators Clash

By Dave Clark

Some people call it an internal struggle. Others call it a “me-me” conflict. I like to call it my personal civil war. Many of us have one (or more) of these internal conflicts and they tend to cause us mental anguish, often on a daily basis.

This “me-me” conflict comes when either primary behaviors or motivators are contradictory to each other and clash. These conflicts make us want to go in more than one direction at the same time, creating internal discord. Learning to manage these internal conflicts is necessary in order for us to maintain our sanity, let alone be productive.

These conflicts explain why some people want to win the lottery but won’t buy a ticket. Or, why others who pledge to get in shape in the morning are spotted at the donut shop and fast food restaurant by lunchtime. With these opposing mental forces pushing and pulling us in different directions, we often concede to the behavior or driver that is strongest.

How to Define Success Daily

By Lori McNeill

How often do we go throughout our days without truly thinking about how we can create success that day? Many of us simply live our lives day-by-day, going through the motions, without really considering what we want to accomplish. It’s easy to do this, especially in a world that is moving nonstop. You may get to the end of the week, only to look back and think, “How is it Friday already?” with no clear idea of what you accomplished—or if you succeeded. It’s easy to get in the habit of being busy and not taking time to reflect.

Why is it that many of us simply shuffle through life? It’s almost as though we get into a routine and don’t consider that there’s any other way. I have a client whose calendar is absolutely packed with back-to-back meetings. He attends so many meetings that he has little time to manage his team, think strategically, or manage his own task list. Many busy professionals can relate. Often I hear leaders say they never have time to eat lunch or get any kind of break in their day. Read More

10 Things Successful People Do Every Day

By Dave Clark

Have you ever wondered if there is a secret formula for being successful? Why is it that some people seem to have a Midas touch while others struggle to get by? American historian, best-selling author and keynote speaker Kevin Kruse recently interviewed more than 200 highly successful people, a group that included seven billionaires, 13 Olympians, and accomplished entrepreneurs from many walks of life. One simple question provided a tremendous amount of insight. The question was: “What is your number one secret to productivity?”

Several consistencies emerged from the answers of this highly accomplished group. Ten common themes are found below. Read More

When to Emulate and When to Originate

By Jalene Case

In school, we’re always told never to copy a fellow student’s work. That’s cheating! It’s a forbidden, punishable, no-no. But as you move through life, you may find that there are times when imitation can be a valuable technique, especially when you’re in the process of learning a new skill. However, you’ll soon find that to reach the next level of success, you must move from emulation to developing your own expertise.

After 35 years of working for other companies, I decided to go out on my own almost two years ago. As I built my business, I earned several certifications, received challenge and support from my coach, and was inspired by many people along the way.

I’ve been climbing a steep learning curve. Recently, I hit a plateau. After taking stock of where I had been and where I envisioned going, I saw the next mountain to climb. It was time to stop emulating the people and programs I had learned from, and start refining my own voice and style.
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5 Characteristics of Great Leaders

By Dave Clark,

The hope of every employee is to work for a leader they like and respect. While each person may have their own definition of what constitutes a “great leader,” we can agree there are certain traits that appeal to the masses.

If you are a leader and you possess these five traits, you are probably quite successful. If you don’t think these traits describe your leadership style, working on one or more of these areas would be a great place to start in order to build a better rapport with your teams.

7 Traits Typically Found in Highly Emotionally Intelligent People

By Dave Clark,

Emotional intelligence (or EQ) is a hot button topic these days, especially in the workplace. It is widely believed, and rightly so, that individuals with high emotional intelligence tend to better manage the rigors and stresses found regularly in the workplace. Some people even argue that having a high EQ is more important than having a high IQ.

After reading an article by Matt Valentine of Goalcast, he suggests there are seven traits that are common among emotionally intelligent people. Being able to harness these traits and utilize them daily can help a person succeed where others come up short. According to Valentine, these highly emotionally intelligent people…

It’s All About People: Authentic Empathy

Host Dale Dixon interviews Business Coach and Strategist Padraig Berry, who is the CEO of One Focus Business Consultants and TTI Success Insights Ireland. On today’s episode, Dale and Padraig discuss authentic empathy, and how it is a building block for many other leadership competencies. Padraig shares stories from his time working with Irish-American businessman and philanthropist Chuck Feeney, and gives three challenges to grow empathy as a leader.

Accountability Begins with You

By Lori McNeill

What comes to mind when I raise the topic of “accountability”?

Often, when we think about accountability, we don’t necessarily think about it in regards to ourselves. Instead, we start thinking about it in terms of everyone else and why the people around us aren’t as accountable as we think they should be. There is some irony to that, don’t you think?

Accountability should begin with you—even when you are attempting to manage your team or communicating to colleagues regarding your expectations for their involvement on initiatives. In any situation, and definitely during one that isn’t going as we planned, we should always begin by looking at ourselves.

The Six Stages of a Leader’s Journey (Series Ep. 3)

Host Dale Dixon and Executive Advisor Ron Price finish their discussion of the six stages by discussing stages 5 and 6. Ron talks about the leadership phenomenon of “getting into the zone,” and gives some specific ways to actively measure your impact. He also explains how the leader’s journey comes full circle, and how your leadership mindset shifts throughout your career.

Resiliency: Clear Focus on the Vision

In this short video, High Performing Teams consultant and coach Shawn Kent Hayashi talks about Resiliency. She explains the definition of Resiliency, how to improve your skill-set, and why it is important to master this competency.

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