Leadership is the single most important factor in the success or failure of any business or entrepreneurial venture. Leadership is the one factor that can have the greatest influence over a business’s success or failure. To be truly successful you must become an excellent leader.
Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes once said there are 3 kinds of people. First there are the 5% that make things happen. Next there are the 15% who watch what’s happening. And then there is the 80% who have no idea what’s happening. It’s that 5% that make up the true leaders in the world.
Contrary to popular belief great leaders are not born they are made. There is no leadership gene. Anyone who puts their mind to it can work to become an effective or even a great leader. There are so many examples in society of leaders performing for years below the radar at average levels and then at some point in their lives they emerge to become a leader within their organization or group.
There is no secret formula. Sometimes it is just luck meeting opportunity. Whatever it may be, all leaders use their time prior to leadership as a time of learning and preparation for the day they step into the leadership role.
Every great leader has an overreaching Purpose in life. It is what gets him up in the morning, inspires him throughout the day and fills his heart as he drifts off to sleep at night. It is his reason for living. It is this Purpose that answers questions such as Why am I here? What is it I am meant to do? What is the meaning of my life? In most cases the answers to these questions will revolve around leaving the world in a better place.
Effective leaders have a Purpose and likewise their business reflects and mirrors that Purpose. Who has heard of Dee Hock. As a young man Dee worked for a boss who delighted in humiliating him and making the workplace an uncomfortable endeavor. He then topped it off by firing Dee Hock. Because of working in a business model that supported and encouraged such behavior Dee found his Purpose. It was “To contribute to the creation a world offering the possibility of regeneration of individuality, liberty, community and ethics such that the world has never seen, along with a harmony with nature like the world has always dreamed”.
In 1970 Dee founded a company that would evolve into an organization that would be owned by 22,000 member banks, who compete with each other for 750 million customers while at the same time honoring each other while conducting 125 trillion transactions annually. That organization is known as VISA. A daunting task considered impossible by even his most ardent supporters made possible because he had a commitment to his Purpose. The story is an amazing one to see how leaders emerged when the Purpose was clear.
As a Leader what is your Purpose?
About the Author
With more than three decades of experience in all facets of sales management, customer service, business growth, and staff coordination, Certified Business Coach Greg Emslie is a focused professional with the tools to help you grow and manage your business effectively.
Driven by his ability to implement proven business concepts and help improve teams, Greg affects all areas of the companies he works with, including sales, leadership, profitability, and decision-making. He focuses on improving efficiency and processes for his clients while helping them grow their revenue base.
Ready to begin finding other ways to make your company more productive? Let’s get the conversation started. Contact Greg Emslie for a business strategy discussion today.