Characteristics of Leadership
If you want people to follow you, you need certain abilities. Your goal is to get you and the group from point A to point B. We can visualize this as a trip across a bridge. However, in order to make it over that bridge, and have people follow you, you must have certain characteristics. How do these followers know that the bridge is strong enough to hold them? Or, how do they know it is going in the direction that they need to go? What makes a leader? Who do you follow? Being a professor of leadership, and a John Maxwell Team Member, I have had the opportunity to study this topic in quite some detail. As I study this topic, more, I find that most of these characteristics and qualities overlap in another profession that I am very fond of. As my readers know, this blog was founded originally as a sales blog. I focused the tips on how to be a better sales professional. Recently, I have determined that there is a direct relation & overlap to sales abilities and leadership. The skills, traits, and capabilities of a true sales professional, are the foundational characteristics of leadership. I am not saying that if you are a great sales person you can be a great leader. Nor am I saying that it's necessary to be a sales person to be a leader. However, if you break down what makes either of these professions great, you will see many similarities. When John Maxwell writes "leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less", and when you consider what the main goal and focus of a sales professional is, you can see the overlap. A sales person is trying to influence someone in making a decision. In order to get that sale, the buyer must feel that the sales person is leading them in the right direction.
PROFITS
In my book published in 2010, PROFITS: Your Seven Letters To Success I write that the definition of a true sales pro is the following;
Is a PEAK PERFORMER who has the abilities and understands the importance to PLAN and PREPARE
Understands and acknowledges their RESPONSIBILITIES to their organization and customers, and can RETAIN their business, while maintaining RESPECT with their clients, companies, and most importantly themselves
Takes OWNERSHIP and is ORGANIZED
Maintains a FOCUS on their duties and goals
Has a character built on INTEGRITY and they have personal INITIATIVE
Has the ability and TRUST to work in a TEAM environment
Provides all this to their internal and external customers with the utmost SINCERITY
Since writing this book, I have been blessed by being Certified by the John Maxwell organization, as well as the Zig Ziglar Corporation. One studies leadership, the other focuses on personal & professional development. Both are integrally tied to this definition that I write. John Maxwell wrote "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership", Zig Ziglar wrote "See You at the Top". Both of these focus on the things that are core to our character. Those two, and PROFITS, all focus on foundation.
BUILDING A BETTER YOU
As a Ziglar Legacy Trainer, I am authorized to train and coach on the topic of "Building a Better You". In that curriculum we focus on the following;
The qualities successful people possess (and how you can possess them, too)
The power of relationships and to build strong, healthy, winning ones
Learn how to get more of the things money will buy and all of the things money won’t
The importance of your attitude and how to keep it positive
How to keep yourself motivated and striving towards your goals
The importance of the words you choose
The power of taking the first step
When you combine the laws of leadership, the Ziglar performance formula, and the foundational principles of a true sales professional, you have the tools necessary to be at the top! As my tag line says, our guiding principle is continuous improvement - make it a goal of yours. Work on your core, just like you do at the gym. Shore up your foundation. Build a balanced life. If you do that, you can lead a life of significance regardless of your profession or your station.
The Kole Performance Group focuses on helping you today, so you can enjoy your tomorrow!