THE POSITION OF LEADERSHIP

 

                             THE LEADERSHIP QUALITY

                    THE ONLY THING THAT IS INEVITABLE IN THE LIFE OF THE LEADER IS THE CRISIS. WHEN YOU RISE TO A POSITION OF LEADERSHIP, YOU WILL EXPERIENCE CRISES REPEATEDLY - CRISES THAT ARE UNPREDICTABLE, UNBIDDEN, AND OTEN CAPABLE OF SERIOUSLY DAMAGING THE ORGANIZATION.

                     IT IS IN THE CRISIS THAT THE LEADER DEMONSTRATES HIS COMPETENCE. IN TIMES OF CRISIS, THE LEADER BECOMES CALM, COOL, OBJECTIVE, AND COMPLETELY IN CONTROL. THE LEADER ASKS QUESTIONS AND GATHERS INFORMATION. THE LEADER ASSESSES THE SITUATION ACCURATELY AND MAKES WHATEVER DECISIONS ARE NECESSARY TO MINIMIZE THE DAMAGE OR CUT THE LOSSESS.

                GREAT LEADERS DISCIPLINE THEMSELVES TO KEEP THEIR FEARS AND MISGIVINGS PRIVATE. THEY DO NOT SHARE THEIR CONCERNS WITH THEIR STAFFS, KNOWING THAT THIS CAN CAUSE THEIR CONCERNS WITH THEIR STAFFS, KNOWING THAT THIS CAN CAUSE CONFUSION AND LOSS OF MORALE. INSTEAD, THE LEADER ASKS A LOT OF QUESTIONS, PROBES DEEPLY INTO SITUATIONS SO THAT HE OR SHE UNDERSTANDS THEM THOROUGHLY, AND KEEPS HIS OR HER FEELINGS PRIVATE.

                 AS FAR AS THE MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZATION ARE CONCERNED, THE LEADER IS ALWAYS CALM, POSITIVE RELAXED , AND IN COMPLETE CONTROL - NO MATTER WHAT IS HAPPENING. 

                      SELF-CONTROL AND LEADERSHIP

                   THERE IS A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOUR ABILITY TO DISCIPLINE YOURSELF AND YOUR BEHAVIORS AND YOUR READINESS TO LEAD. IT IS ONLY WHEN YOU PROVE TO OTHERS THAT YOU ARE IN COMPLETE CONTROL OF YOURSELF THAT THEY DEVELOP THE CONFIDENCE TO PUT YOU IN A LEADERSHIP POSITION - AND KEEP YOU THERE.

                   THE LEADER REALIZES THAT EVERTHING HE SAYS TO OR ABOUT ANOTHER PERSON IS MAGNIFIED. THE LEADER THEREFORE PRAISES AND ENCOURAGES PEOPLE, BOTH IN THEIR PRESENCE IN THEIR PRESENCE AND WHEN THEY ARE NOT AROUND. HE NEVER SAYS ANYTHING NEGATIVE THAT COULD BE MISINTERPRETED OR THAT COULD DEMOTIVATE OR OFFEND ANOTHER PERSON. IF HE HAS PROBLEMS WITH SOMEONE, HE ADDRESSESS HIM PRIVATELY, OUT OF SIGHT AND EARSHOOT OF ANYONE ELSE.

                               LEADERSHIP QUALITIES 

                         LEADERS DISCIPLINE THEMSELVES TO PLAN, PREPARE, ORGANIZE, AND CHECK EVERY DETAIL. THEY TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED. THEY ASK QUESTIONS TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE A COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF A SITUATION, PROBLEM, OR DIFFICULTY.

                       GREAT LEADERS ACT AS IF THEY OWN THE ENTIRE COMPANY. THEY ACCEPT A HIGH LEVEL OF PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. THEY LEADER NEVER COMPLAINS, MAKES EXCUSES, OR BLAMES OTHERS FOR PROBLEMS.

                        LEADERS ARE INTENSELY ACTION-ORIENTED. THEY GATHER INFORMATION CAREFULLY AND MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT ARE NECESSARY. THEY SET MEASURES AND STANDARDS AND HOLD OTHERS TO THEM. THEY INSIST THAT THE JOB BE DONE QUICKLY AND WELL.

                            BECOME ALL YOU CAN BE

                          THERE IS AN EVEN MORE IMPORTANT REASON FOR YOU TO PRACTICE THE SELF-DISCIPLINE THAT LEADS ONWARD AND UPWARD TO THE GREAT SUCCESSESS THAT ARE POSSIBLE FOR YOU. THE PRACTICE OF SELF-DISCIPLINE ENABLES YOU TO CHANGE YOUR CHARACTER, TO BECOME A STRONGER AND BETTER PERSON. THE EXERCISE OF DISCIPLINE HAS A POWERFUL EFFECT ON YOUR MIND AND EMOTIONS, DEVELOPING YOU INTO A DIFFERENT PERSON FROM THE ONE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN WITHOUT SELF-DISCIPLINE.

                         IMAGINE YOURSELF IN A CHEMISTRY LAB. YOU MIX A SERIES OF CHEMICALS IN A PETRI DISH AND PUT IT OVER A BUNSEN BURNER. THE BUNSEN BURNER HEATS THE CHEMICALS TO THE POINT AT WHICH THEY CRYSTALIZE AND BECOME HARDENED. BUT ONCE YOU HAVE CRYSTALLIZED AND BECOME HARDENED. BUT ONCE YOU HAVE CRYSTALLIZED THESE CHEMICALS USING INTENSE HEAT, THEY CANNOT BE TRANSFORMED BACK INTO LIQUID FORM.

                       IN THE SAME WAY, YOUR PERSONALITY BEGINS LIKE A LIQUID. SOFT, FLUID, AND FORMLESS. BUT AS YOU APPLY THE HEAT OF SELF-DISCIPLINE, AS YOU EXERT YOURSELF TO DO WHAT IS HARD AND NECESSARY RATHER THAN WHAT IS FUN AND EASY, YOUR PERSONALITY CRYSTALLIZES AND HARDENS AT A HIGHEST LEVEL AS WELL.

                      THE GREATEST BENEFIT YOU ENJOY FROM EXERTING SELF-DISCIPLINE IN THE PURSUIT OF YOUR GOALS IN THAT YOU BECOME A DIFFERENT PERSON. YOU BECOME STRONGER AND MORE RESOLUTE. YOU DEVELOP GREATER SELF-CONTROL AND DETERMINATION. YOU ACTUALLY SHAPE AND STRENGTHEN YOUR PERSONALITY AND TRANSFORM YOURSELF INTO A BETTER PERSON.

                      THE RULE IS THAT "TO BECOME SOMEONE THAT YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN BEFORE, YOU MUST DO SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE NEVER DONE BEFORE". THIS MEANS THAT TO DEVELOP A SUPERIOR CHARACTER, YOU MUST EXERT EVER-HIGHER LEVELS OF SELF-DISCIPLINE AND SELF-MASTERY ON YOURSELF. YOU MUST DO THE THINGS THAT AVERAGE PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO DO.

                        ANOTHER SUCCESS PRINCIPLE IS THAT "TO ACHIEVE SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE NEVER ACHIEVED BEFORE, YOU MUST LEARN AND PRACTICE QUALITIES AND SKILLS THAT YOU HAVE NEVER HAD BEFORE".

                      BY PRACTICING SELF-DISCIPLINE, YOU BECOME A NEW PERSON. YOU BECOME BETTER, STRONGER, AND MORE CLEARLY DEFINED, YOU DEVELOP HIGHER LEVELS OF SELF-ESTEEM, SELF-RESPECT, AND PERSONAL PRIDE. YOU MOVE YOURSELF UP THE LADDER OF HUMAN EVOLUTION AND BECOME A PERSON OF HIGHER CHARACTER AND RESOLVE.