Monthly Archives: November 2015

As business owner or leader in a company, you are certainly aware that you are in a position of leadership. Others around you, particularly those who work for you, look to you for guidance and to teach them how to be a leader.

There are many ways to display effective leadership, but none is more powerful than leading by example. Leading by example has many benefits both to you and to those you seek to lead. Here are some things to consider.

1. Leading by example makes you accomplish more. When you recognize the people are watching your actions, as opposed to just your words, you are likely to do more and better things. Recognizing that you are leading in your example makes you more intentional in your actions. You will see each action you take as having an impact on others. You will see the benefit of being more personally productive just because you hone in on the idea that others are learning from your behavior.

2. You project a more sincere image. The world is full of leaders who talk about what should be done and how it should be done, but then live their own life in a totally different way. Those who lead by example are recognized as people who “practice what they preach”. You’ll gain far more respect with this leadership style.

3. You set the ethics bar higher. When you know others are watching you, you are more careful about what you do and say. You are more likely to keep yourself in check when you know others are watching.

The fact is, you are leading by example whether you choose to lead this way or not. As a person in a leadership role, others are watching what you say and how you act. Your actions will have an impact on how these people conduct themselves, and on the type of leader they will become. So, make it a point to ensure that the example you set is one you can be proud of.

Any major pursuit in life is a big undertaking. There are often many months and many steps required to reach a goal. Because of this, major accomplishments can seem overwhelming, and this feeling causes many people to give up on their goal.

There’s a very old joke that speaks to the problem of overcoming an overwhelming goal. It goes like this: “How do you eat an elephant?” “One bite at a time.”

This old saying is a great way to remember that no major goal can be accomplished at once. Any big undertaking must be taken just like eating an elephant – one small bite at a time. There are several advantages to breaking your undertaking down into several steps.

1. Breaking your goal down into smaller steps gives you a plan. When you list the small steps in sequential order, you immediately have a plan to follow to reach your goal. Take it one step at a time, and you’ll get there.

2. It’s easy to measure your effectiveness. When you measure how you accomplish each smaller goal, you’ll be able to see if you’re on track to reach the larger goal.

3. You’ll avoid the feeling of being overwhelmed. When you break a large goal down into smaller ones, you can get a sense of accomplishment regularly, and you’ll feel that you’re making progress. It is this feeling of accomplishment that helps you stay motivated toward achieving the larger goal.

4. Consistency is easier. When you are able to work on smaller goals and you see accomplishment regularly, you are likely to be more consistent in your overall efforts. When you are measuring yourself only in larger goals, it can be tempting to feel the need for a break once a goal is achieved. With smaller goals, you get just as much accomplished, but you don’t feel so exhausted when you finish.

The work is the same whether you attack a project as one large task or several smaller ones. However, the psychological advantages attained by breaking that elephant into small bites may be just what you need to keep going until you reach your goal.

“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And, I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.” Edward Everett Hale

When you are busy with business and life responsibilities, it can be easy to neglect doing things in your community. We often think that because we don’t have a lot of time or a lot of money, our contributions are worthless. However, giving back to your community is important at all stages of your life and of your career. Everyone can give. And, every little bit helps when it comes to time and money. Here are three reasons why it’s important to give back to your community even when your time and money are limited.

1. It makes you feel good. The stress of everyday life can take its toll. We all need rest, but that rest shouldn’t necessarily be just sitting at home with our feet up. Doing work that is different than what we do for a living and that makes us feel as though we’ve made a difference can be relaxing and invigorating at the same time.

2. It gives you a fresh perspective. You may learn some very valuable lessons for your business while volunteering. You may see new ways of doing things or managing resources. You may also meet some potential customers.

3. It looks good for you and your business. In today’s society, people desire the chance to do business with people who are part of the fabric of the community. When you volunteer and give in your community, others will see you as being willing to make a contribution, as opposed to being someone who is only in the community to make money from it.

You may feel that you don’t have one more minute in your day to add another activity. Your purse strings may be stretched so tight that you can’t imagine making a contribution to anything else. But, once you get out in your community and see what a difference you can make, you’ll be hooked!