Leading Everyday

Leaders should set the example of being joyful. No, being joyful doesn’t mean that everything goes your way. It doesn’t mean that you won’t have conflict with customers, employees, or conflict at home.

As leaders we should set the tone at home and work and we should start by being joyful despite the challenges with face every day.

One of the stumbling blocks to joy is trying to be in control of everything that happens around us. That is nearly impossible and as they saying goes, a recipe for disaster.

Here are three things to give up and be joyful:

1. Give up control – no one knows how to do the job of your employees better than the employees themselves. Don’t micro-manage or try to control, it will only cause you frustrations. Once you give up control of the day to day operations, you’ll have more time for setting vision which is one of your primary jobs as a leader.

2. Give up being right – if you want to know how things get done correctly, ask your employees, and even your children. As a leader you are not meant to be right all the time. More often than not your employees know first hand how work gets done, how customers perceive your products and services, among many other things.

3. Give up trying to make people like you – as a leader, generally speaking, I don’t care about the means, as long as they are ethical, I care more about the outcome. As a leader that’s why I make every effort to involve my employee to do things their way, that makes the most sense, and is most efficient and effective to get work done.

Then after you have given up. Here are some things you can do keep your joy:

1. Have a hobby you enjoy – Having a hobby can be a good way to learn something new. Leaders should learn often and keep the mind sharp. A gloomy mind is a joyless life.

2. Read good books – Leaders are readers might be a cliche, but it doesn’t make it any less true. Sharpen your mind with a good book that is full of wisdom and insight. You’ll be happy to discover from good books that others face many of the same challenges you do and it will encourage you that you are not alone.

3. Listen to encouraging music – I love good music. Nothing gets mind and body excited like some good encouraging music with a positive message.

What are other things you can give up, and what else can help you maintain your joy?

Some great posts I read last week. Not all these posts are from the of 4/15, many are from the week of 4/8 while I was on haitus. Hopefully you enjoyed many if not all these posts.

Building Strong Relationships with Dan Black - by Jared Latigo (Interview Guest is Dan Black)

Four steps to better decision making - by Deb Lee

5 Reasons Your Leadership Is Ineffective - by Joseph Lalonde

Don’t Arrive At The Top By Yourself - by Joseph Lalonde

4 Leadership Lessons from my Marriage - by Dan Black

Kimanzi Constable: Leadership Style Interview - by Charles Sprecht

12 Ways to Improve Your Performance at Work - by Julie Rains

3 Life Hacks To Increase Your Productivity - by TJ Trent (Guest post by James Lalonde)

Accountability vs. Responsibility? - by Dan Black (Guest post Gordon Tredgold)

How the Conservative Party of Canada Lost My Vote - by Larry Hehn

The Importance of a Leader’s Heart – by Michael Hyatt

What were some of your favorite posts from the week of 4/15, please share?

Yes, another list of being a highly effective leader. But bear with me, I think I might have something here, and hopefully you will agree.

What makes this list different from others you ask? My response, “me.”

I am sure as a leader you have your own list, and I can’t wait to read it. But for the meantime below are my top 5 habits.

1. Highly effective leaders are accountable – I live by this word. If you want to be effective, you must stop making excuses, and be accountable, and responsible for your sphere of influence. Will there be roadblocks? Yes. Will there be distractions? Yes. Will there people who are not for you? I think you know the answer to that one.

2. Highly effective leaders get results – Along with accountability, results, is the second word I live by. In the end it doesn’t matter how much you know, it’s what can you do with what you know, and can you innovate and get results. Can you imagine if Bill Gates, or Steve Jobs, or better yet, Jesus Christ our Lord and savior knew what had to be done, but didn’t do it? There would be no results. So focus on results and producing you have a lot people depending on you.

3. Highly effective leaders encourage -Everyday I wake up with the Psalm, this is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad it in it. Why? Because it encourages me. As a leader one of your primary jobs is to encourage yourself and encourage others, so that you get the best out of yourself and those you lead.

4. Highly effective leaders mentor -As a leader it is your duty to mentor. If you want to leave a legacy, than teach others what you know. There is nothing more rewarding than being able to leave a legacy because you have shared of your knowledge, expertise and skills.

5. Highly effective leaders delegate -Then after you mentor, and have developed well rounded followers, with the potential to become leaders, you need to delegate. Share responsibility so that your followers can exhibit their skills, know-how, and competence. It will also lighten your work-load so that you can focus on visionary work.

What other habits can you add to my list? 

Great posts from last week. Hope you had time to enjoy these last week as well.

Holy Spirit Attraction - by Ken(TheBarba) Hagerman

That Awkward Moment When You Realize You’re a Pharisee - by Larry Hehn

9 Signs You’re A Leader - by Joseph Lalonde

The Value of the Intentional Life - by danonleadership (Guest post, Chris Peek)

Whatever You Do, Don’t Quit - by TJ Trent

The Six Deadly Sins of Leadership – by Jack and Suzy Welch

Awesome posts the last week of February. Hope you enjoyed many, if not all, these posts.

Sharing Christ More Belief than Action - Doc Shawn

3 Be’s of Leadership - Guest post by Chris Hendrix on danblackonleadership

8 Keys to Building and Having Lasting Relationships - Dan Black

Am I Too Indulgent? - TJ Trent

TJ’s Spotlight - TJ Trent

72 Proverbs from Hell. (Not the Usual Hell.) _ Gretchen Rubin

What People Will Remember - Joseph Lalonde

Any other favorite posts from last week?