The Leadership Imperative: Making Your Leadership Your Life

Nearly all leaders I've encountered are underachievers. They're getting a fraction of the results they are capable of. And in most cases, it's their fault. Their failures are the result of the choices they make. For the opportunities to consistently get more results are all around them all the time, theirs for the taking.

For instance, to start getting more results than you are accustomed to getting, you simply have to change your mind-set. You should aim to make your leadership your life and your life your leadership. If you don't, you diminish both your leadership and your life.

To have the change in mind-set really sink in so it changes you in a deep, fundamental way, you must cultivate two dynamics: a vision of the purpose of your leadership, and the dedication to realize that purpose.

The word "vision" has been used and misused ad nauseam. The trouble is that most leaders misunderstand it. When they think "vision", they look at themselves, at what they can do for themselves. To do well for yourself, an inward focus is the wrong place to look.

Here's a vision that you can carry with you for the rest of your career, for the rest of your life. I call it the Leadership Imperative.

I WILL LEAD PEOPLE IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY NOT ONLY ACHIEVE THE RESULTS WE NEED BUT THEY ALSO BECOME BETTER AS PEOPLE AND AS LEADERS.

This vision has two parts: one is result-accomplishments and the other is the betterment of the people.

You are never more powerful as a leader as when, in getting results, you are helping others be better than they are -- even better than thought they could be. Guided by the Leadership Imperative, you'll find that the jobs you take on, the career(s) you have, will, in terms of your doing well by them, take care of themselves.

However, vision alone is not enough. You must be dedicated to realizing it. Realizing this vision means living not an easy life for ourselves but a hard life for others.

There are many ways to make such realization happen, and it should be our life's journey to find them and put them into action. The point is that when you turn the focus of your ambitions away from yourself and toward other people, when you become truly ambitious for their success, your success will take care of itself.

How do we really let our leadership sink deeply into our life and change it and shape it throughout our lives? By dedicating ourselves to passionately realizing the Leadership Imperative.

2005 © The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com

The author of 23 books, Brent Filson's recent books are, THE LEADERSHIP TALK: THE GREATEST LEADERSHIP TOOL and 101 WAYS TO GIVE GREAT LEADERSHIP TALKS. He is founder and president of The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. - and for more than 20 years has been helping leaders of top companies worldwide get audacious results. Sign up for his free leadership e-zine and get a free white paper: "49 Ways To Turn Action Into Results," at http://www.actionleadership.com

FederalNewsRadio.com

Oracle to pay $1.9B for Taleo, extends SAP rivalry FederalNewsRadio.com Oracle is paying $1.9 billion for Taleo Corp., a company that helps businesses manage their employees. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File) By ANICK JESDANUN AP Technology Writer NEW YORK (AP) - Oracle Corp. is escalating its rivalry with German ... Oracle to pay $1.9 billion for personnel software company, extends rivalry ...Washington Post Oracle buying Taleo for $1.9 billion, cloud war brewsReuters Oracle Buys Taleo for $1.9 Billion, Adds Human-Resource ToolSan Francisco Chronicle all 482 news articles »

PetroFrontier announces change in management Sacramento Bee 10, 2012 -- /PRNewswire/ - (TSX-V: PFC) - PetroFrontier Corp.("PetroFrontier") announced today that Peter Philipchuk, Vice President, Exploration, has resigned from PetroFrontier. PetroFrontier thanks Mr. Philipchuk for his service and wishes him well ... and more »

WTOP

Oracle to pay $1.9B for Taleo, extends SAP rivalry WTOP Oracle is paying $1.9 billion for Taleo Corp., a company that helps businesses manage their employees. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File) By ANICK JESDANUN AP Technology Writer NEW YORK (AP) - Oracle Corp. is escalating its rivalry with German ... Oracle's $1.9bn Deal to Buy TaleoZacks.com Taleo Corp Shares Downgraded to "Neutral" by JPMorgan Chase & Co. Analysts (TLEO)Web Inquirer Oracle to buy Taleo for $1.9bnTimes of India all 103 news articles »

TEXT-S&P revises Apollo Investment Corp outlook to stable Reuters (The following statement was released by the rating agency) -- Apollo Investment Corp. (AIC) has announced changes in management, a reduction in its dividend, and adjustments to its investment strategy. -- In our view, changes to the firm's investment ... Apollo Investments Considers Capital Raise; Unveils Management ShiftsWall Street Journal Company News for February 9, 2012Zacks.com Apollo Investment's CEO Discusses Q3 2012 Results - Earnings Call TranscriptSeeking Alpha Economic Times -Tech24 all 30 news articles »

Fort Worth Star Telegram

AMR bankruptcy: Retirees group files for involvement in case Tulsa World The organization, AMR Retirees Pension Protection Corp., is based in Owasso and includes former members of American Airlines upper management at the Maintenance & Engineering Center in Tulsa and the carrier's maintenance base in Fort Worth. Transport workers union says it will have counterproposal next week for AmericanFort Worth Star Telegram all 24 news articles »

Integrated Asset Management Corp. Announces Results for the First Quarter of ... MarketWatch (press release) TORONTO, ONTARIO, Feb 09, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Integrated Asset Management Corp. ("IAM") /quotes/zigman/18979 CA:IAM -10.00% today announced unaudited financial results for the quarter ended December 31, 2011. Review of the 3-Month Period ... and more »

Eaton Vance Closed-end Diversified Equity Income Funds Declare Quarterly ... Sacramento Bee The Funds are managed by Eaton Vance Management, a subsidiary of Eaton Vance Corp. (NYSE: EV), based in Boston, one of the oldest investment management firms in the United States, with a history dating back to 1924. Eaton Vance and its affiliates ... and more »

State: Revised map led to levee updates Peoria Journal Star He did say, however, that the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the US Army Corps of Engineers became more serious about the country's levee system after the hurricane disaster. Osman said the Corps did an Illinois River study in 2002 and 2003, ... and more »

Contract talks continue at Marathon, Tesoro refineries Reuters Workers at the Marathon Petroleum Corp in Catlettsburg, Kentucky, and the Tesoro Corp Mandan, North Dakota, refinery have rejected management proposals on local issues, said USW spokeswoman Lynne Hancock. "They're not preparing for a strike," Hancock ... and more »

Cotter documents under review Canon City Daily Record By RACHEL ALEXANDER alexanderr@ canoncitydailyrecord.com Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment Radiation Program Manager Steve Tarlton, right, speaks Thursday during a public meeting as Cotter Corp. Vice President Mill Operations John ... and more »