Do you use any self-motivation techniques? Life throws us all sorts of opportunities, as well as challenges. To deal with both, a leader needs self-motivation. Motivation is, as the word itself suggests, a motive for action. It is knowing what to do and how to do it. It is a key part of leadership. In…
Phillip of Macedonia, the father of Alexander the Great, said, “An army of deer led by a lion is more to be feared than an army of lion led by a deer.” That may be true, but I’ve come to believe that Phillip missed the bigger point: An army of lions led by a lion…
I’m on a flight home from several days spent with my colleagues of Speakers Roundtable. We hold a 3 ½ day collegial and educational meeting each summer. The event is rich with idea sharing and fellowship. Each member gets 20-30 minutes to report on his or her respective business and/or pose a question to the…
Leadership Lessons ezine by Mark Sanborn
There are only two ways to grow any business: grow your team members and grow yourself. Growing yourself requires a commitment to personal and professional development. Growing your people is about providing training and education, and being a great coach. What makes a great coach? Great coaches… …are interested in you. You’re not just a…
Leadership Lessons ezine by Mark Sanborn
Proverbs 22:6 says, Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Parents and educators frequently remind me about the importance of teaching the principles of The Fred Factor to children. The only thing better than learning these lessons as an adult is learning them as…
One day my assistant informed me over the intercom, “There is a Cadet Green on line two. I think you’ll want to talk to him.” That was my introduction to Cadet Shawn Green, U.S. Air Force Academy. The Air Force Academy had been in the papers a great deal lately for various challenges it was…
Successful people are often asked for free advice. I don’t mean the kind of requests one gets at a cocktail party like “Jim, you’re a financial planner. Where would you invest $5,000 right now?” I mean time-intensive requests like, “Would you meet me for coffee and tell me how I can get started doing what…
Leadership Lessons ezine by Mark Sanborn May 1, 2006 (Adapted from You Don’t Need a Title to be a Leader: How Anyone, Anywhere Can Make a Positive Difference, Currency, September 2006 release) Everyone matters. Everyone makes a difference. I don’t think everyone knows that. Most people grew up being told they could make a difference, not that they do make…