Leadership + Commitment = Power

Share on

it's appropriate to write an article that includes the ingredients that the most successful leaders demonstrate every day - Here's my list of the 10 components that make great leaders:

1) Slow to Hire, Quick to Fire:The top three things a manager hates to do, according to the Harvard Business School, ar e: fire somebody, fire somebody, fire somebody. Author and marketing expert David Ogilvy (a great leader, by the way) said, "If you hire people bigger than yourself, you'll be a company of giants. If you hire people smaller than yourself, you'll be a company of dwarfs."

2) Lead from the Front Lines:Where were you today - talking with the front-line staff, wondering how you can get more spec spots out of your creative department, or contemplating what to do after work tonight? Leading from the front demands respect. No one deserves the title of "leader" until that appointment is ratified in the minds and hearts of the people who work with them.

3) Be the Guinea Pig: Great leaders never ask their people to do something they wouldn't do. This doesn't mean you have to do it for them; show them once and then get out of their way. If you demand commitment but consider yourself too good to do it yourself, then get ready for a mutiny.

4) Provide Results, Not Just Your Best Effort: Where do you draw the line between recognizing someone for their best effort as opposed to winning? I always wanted our people at stations I managed to know that there were no moral victories. We got paid for winning, hitting budget, bringing in BCF (bottom-line cash flow) and outperforming our competitors. You won't win every time, but why not try? Vince Lombardi, the former coach of the Green Bay Packers, said, "The quality of a man's life is in full measure of that man's personal commitment to excellence and to victory, regardless of what field he may be in."

5) Training, Training, Training: Somebody probably told you that people are your best asset. What kind of people are your best assets? Lazy people? Unmotivated people? Undisciplined people? Crazy people? People are not your best asset. Well-trained people are your best asset if they're trained the way you want them trained and know how you expect them to perform.

6) Build a Winning Team: Sorry, Lakers fans, but you know the story. Four future Hall of Fame players were in the starting five, but the Detroit Pistons blew the Los Angeles Lakers away in the most recent NBA championships. Why? The Pistons are a team, and the Lakers are a group of individuals. Teams accomplish great things when their leader shares a common vision.

7) No Immunity for the Rich and Famous: Do your standards accommodate prima donnas? Are you afraid they'll quit if you demand excellence? Does the top biller get away with coming in late and leaving early? Never be afraid to hold your top people to higher standards. I always wanted our top sales reps to know that I wasn't afraid to have them do extra work and set the example for our younger reps.

8) Preparation is the Mother of Success: Joe Paterno, coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions, said, "The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital." Do you legislate productivity, or are you the manager who provides experience and expertise in planning? Remember: Only 3 percent of today's managers plan for the future. This might be why radio is a month-to-month business.

9) Focus Follows Fun: See Ronald Reagan and the fall of the Berlin Wall. He had an intense focus on freedom along with the ability to charm his perceived enemies. That combination can accomplish amazing things.

10) Just Do It: My martial arts master said it best: "One do better than one thousand say." Some people will remember you for your words, but most people will remember you for your actions, what you stand for and what you actually do.