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You may have heard the old line that there are three types of people in the world: 1) those who make things happen, 2) those who watch things happen and 3) those who wonder what happened.  I think it might be time to talk about the role that initiative plays in the world of leadership.  One trait common to all leaders is the initiative they show toward their vision. 

Leaders don't have to be told to do something.  Leaders don't need managers above them.  Leaders don't wait for the lights to all turn green before taking off on a trip.  Leaders take action, they take responsibility, and they don't take their time waiting and wondering if they should act.  At the end of the day, it is the go-getters that seem to become the biggest leaders.  Time after time I have seen people with less talent, less of a head start, less connections, and less information absolutely outperform others simply because they got moving!  Even if a person is not effective, the very fact that he or she is taking action usually forces an improvement in effectiveness.  Even if a person heads in the wrong direction, sooner or later he or she will get on track.

Conversely, those who deliberate, dilly-dally, hesitate, ponder, get bogged down in analysis, or have to be sure everything is perfect before taking action generally do a very good job at what they do, they just don't get much of it accomplished.  They have beautifully detailed goals printed out in multi-colors but don't ever seem to hit them, and they have all kinds of theoretical knowledge about how things are going to work out for them once everything is perfectly situated for them to make an attempt. 

Over time, there is no comparison between the results of the "active" people and the "pondering" people.  The active people almost always win out.  While one group is busy wondering how things are going to be, the other group is busy making them that way!  Often sharp, talented, smart people wonder why the guy who used to have poor people skills, with a limited education, and no connections blew right by them in life.  Usually, personal initiative was a big component in the success story. 

Wondering who the next leader is going to be?  Curious about who is going to grow the most personally in the next couple of years?  Look for the person showing initiative.  Look for the person taking action.  They may not be the most likely candidate at the moment, but all that action will lead to greatness.  And you will see that the old saying has come true.  They will be the ones who make things happen, while the deliberators watch it happen, and a few will deliberate too long and wonder what happened!  So get started today.  Get a goal and go after it.  Don't worry about looking good along the way or about your qualifications.  Just show some  initiative and get started.  You'll be shocked at the power of action!!!!

Sometimes, things are going to hit you.  Details will try to overwhelm you.  Obstacles will pop up in your path.  That's just the way life is.  And if you're a leader in hot pursuit of a vision, its best to learn to expect it. After all, resistance is what build strong muscles.  Ships are safe in the harbor but they aren't made for the harbor.  Strong sailors aren't made in calm seas.  And leaders are just going to have to develop thick skin.

One little phrase I started thinking to myself a long time ago was, "Doesn't Matter, Doesn't Matter, Doesn't Matter."  What I meant by this was that the goal remained the same, the obstacles were just there to add color to the story.  And maybe I'm just weird (okay, maybe it's more than a maybe) but it worked for me.  It helped me remember that the big picture was still the big picture.  The goal was set in stone and the path in sand.

As long as you've got the vision clear in your mind, and you've got the goal set in stone, perhaps keeping this little philosophy in your head will help you advance.  It doesn't matter what happens, it's how you respond.  Respond appropriately with a little self-encouragement and press on.  As Ghandi said, "Your playing small does not serve the world."  So play big.  Expect obstacles.  And realize that those obstacles don't matter!   

People will often say that they are in search of an opportunity, assuming that they have the correct thinking to carry an opportunity through to success.  What is most surprising, however, is that the challenge is usually just the opposite. 

I know in my own case, I was convinced I knew how to think systematically.  I was confident I could perform.   I thought I had a good attitude.  I had a great formal education, and it seemed all I needed was an opportunity.

Reality, however, was just the opposite.  I didn't so much need an opportunity as I did correct thinking.  As it turns out, I had a lot to learn (and still do).  I needed to develop emotional maturity, long term vision, attitude control, proper perspective, perseverance, and a long list of other things with which I wasn't equipped. I was correct in my confidence that I could succeed, but not without a lot of personal change.

People who are unwilling to confront this brutal reality are the ones that go from "opportunity to opportunity" and never quite seem to make it.  They are always on the brink of something big, but just never seem to get there.  The reason is that they take the root of their problem with them into each new endeavor.  That root, of course, is themselves!  Without learning the thinking that leads to success, by studying the great achievers, finding a mentor, and making learning and personal change a constant in their life, they basically just experience the same failure over and over.  Such a person that claims ten years experience actually just has the same experience over and over again for ten years because they haven't grown personally. 

If you are reading this blog, however, I think it very unlikely that you are in this category of people.  You, instead, are reading and seeking information to help you develop your own thinking.  If you place yourself on a program of personal growth, learning hungrily everything you can to improve, and if you strive to learn systematic thinking and grow in your leadership ability, you will suddenly begin seeing opportunity everywhere!  The truth of the matter is, opportunity abounds, it's people qualified to take advantage of it that is in short supply!

I sincerely wish you enjoyment, success, and significance as you take the self-discipline road of personal growth.  You probably have no idea how big the opportunities are out there that await you!  God Bless! 

Leaders are hungry to assault the status quo.  And one of the biggest commonalities you'll find among leaders of different colors and stripes is their hunger to learn, to equip themselves with what they will need to make their vision a reality. 

Here are some key questions for any would-be leader:

1.  Are you reading good books on a regular basis?  Is reading a habit in your life?  As the saying goes: Leaders are Readers.

2. What are you reading? and why?  There is only so much time in life, and we cannot do it all.  There just will not be time to read and learn everything we would like, so we had best make our choices carefully.

3. With whom are you mentoring?  Without mentorship, leaders drift like a sailboat without a keel.  Mentors provide perspective, wisdom, correction, re-framing, encouragement, experience, and honest feedback.  Your leadership journey will take you farther and with more impact if you find and follow a great mentor.

4.  Where are you in your spiritual life?  You may have your beliefs, but are you sure about what you believe?  Where did you get those beliefs?  The reason spirituality plays such a role in leadership is that leadership will test you.  When pushed against the wall because of your courageous assault on the status quo, where will you turn for internal strength?  A leader is guided by his or her belief in a higher calling and purpose, and it is really difficult to understand this without addressing the spiritual questions.

5. In what areas are you currently holding yourself accountable for personal growth?  In other words, what are you trying to improve about yourself?  Additionally, what new skills are you currently seeking to acquire?  Sustained, quality leadership requires this kind of commitment to personal growth.

There are many more questions of this nature we can explore together in coming posts, but these five should be a good way to get you started toward learning as a leader.  And don't forget: learning is a lot of fun!