Getting Back to Basics

It can happen to all of us. We have a library of books. We attend meetings and seminars. We read blogs and listen to those we know. We have experience as a leader and being led. We have all of this knowledge available to us about leadership. 

All of this "stuff" can get in our way.

Sometimes it really is best to get back to basics.

If you ask great athletes about the details and particulars of their sport, they can give you tons of technical details, any yet they still practice the fundamentals. Ask great presenters about their craft and they can tell you stories and walk about techniques, and in the end they will tell you to focus on your audience and the core of your message.

So it should be for leaders.

You have plenty of resources around you. You have plenty of books on the shelves. You have plenty of people who can tell you what great leadership is and looks like. All of it is valuable. All of it is helpful and all of it can help you be more effective - but only if you place it on a firm foundation.

Several times I`ve asked groups to describe leadership in six words - just six words. I urge them to write a phrase, not just six adjectives.

And that`s what I am asking you to do now.

When you have your six word description you can return.

It doesn`t have to be perfect or a complete sentence. Let go of your inner judge and just describe leadership . . . in six words.

Right now.

Stop reading, pick up your pen and write. (It`s OK, I`m not going anywhere.)

Welcome back!

If you are expecting me to give you the scoring key or tell you the right answer, you`re going to be disappointed.

I could give you a list of things to consider - but I won`t.

Now is the time for you to think about the fundamentals as you see them. Because how you see them has value and makes a difference.

Read your six words right now. Listen to what they are saying - and what they`re not. Then think about how well you practice these fundamentals every day, regardless of your role or job title.

Let your six words sit with you for a few hours or overnight. Then edit them if you feel you can improve your description.

Once you`ve finalized your description write it somewhere easily accessible.

Carry it with you and read it out loud three times a day for the next month. After you read it take a minute to think about what you can do in that moment to more completely do those words in your work and life.

At the end of thirty days you will be a more effective leader - not because of what someone else said but because of what you did.

And what you did was practice the fundamentals.

Potential Pointer: You will become a more effective leader when you continue to learn, but only when you build your lessons on a foundation of the leadership basics. Remind yourself of, and practice your fundamentals and you are on your way to becoming a truly Remarkable Leader.