Lolly Daskal's Blog, page 123

A Cherokee elder was teaching his children about life.

He said to them, “A terrible fight is going on inside me.

“It is a fight between two wolves. One is the wolf of joy, love, hope, kindness and compassion; the other is the wolf of fear, anger, cynicism, indifference and greed.

“The same fight is going on inside of you—and every other person, too.”

The children thought about it for a moment and then one child asked, “Which wolf will win?”

The elder replied, “Whichever one you feed.”

Think about your leadership. Which wolf are you feeding? Which wolf do you need to subside?

Leadership is a choice between

joy and fear

greed and kindness

love and indifference and control and compassion.

In the space between our choices— there’s a lifetime.

It’s the difference between the path you walk and the one you leave behind; it’s the gap between who you thought you could be and who you really are.

To say you have no choice is to relieve yourself of responsibility.

Leadership is being accountable and feeding your soul.

 We make our choices, and our choices make us.

Lead From Within:  Leadership is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution, wise choices and feeding our soul.

Lolly Daskal is the president and Founder of Lead From Within a consulting firm specializing in executive leadership coaching and customized leadership programs. Connect with Lolly Da skal .

 

Additional Reading:

    •    The Measure Of A Leader

    •    Are You Adding Value Or Subtracting Value 

    •    Intelligence is Important but Integrity Matters More

    •    Codes Of Conduct To Lead By

 

Photo: ShutterStock

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Ask a hundred people what great leadership looks like and you will probably get a hundred different answers.

But there’s only one truly important answer, and that’s the one that comes from within you.

As leaders, we need to hold ourselves accountable as we do others.

To accomplish that, we must assess our leadership from time to time.

Think of what kind of leader you want to be and then measure yourself against these questions: Do your actions express your true character?

 Do your actions express your true character?
 Do you lead by your values and your beliefs?
 Do you focus on what is important?
 Do you admit when you make mistakes?
 Do you take responsibility when you are wrong?
 Do you blame others for your mistakes?
 Do you hold yourself accountable for your actions?
 Do you lead with humility as much as influence?
 Do you work on your leadership skills?
 Do you make time for self-reflection?
 Do you take responsibility for your leadership?
 Do you work on your own leadership development?
 Do you measure up to who you want to be? If not, what will you do about it?

When you take the time to see how you measure up, you are opening yourself up to new opportunities for change and growth.

When you increase your capacity for self-awareness and self reflection, you increase your capacity for meaningful purpose.

Measuring ourselves, assessing our actions, evaluating our behavior—these things offer us endless opportunities to beging doing things differently.

Lead From Within: Great leadership is not something we experience, it is something we create—and that is why we must always see how we are measuring up.

Lolly Daskal is the president and Founder of Lead From Within a consulting firm specializing in executive leadership coaching and customized leadership programs. Connect with Lolly Daskal.

Additional Reading:

The Leaders We Remember Most
Code of Conduct To Lead
Let Your Leadership Speak For Itself
The Power of Being Your Best

Photo: ShutterStock

 

The post The Measure Of A Leader appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

Somewhere someone has been inspired by you.

Somewhere someone has been empowered by you.

Somewhere someone has done an act of kindness because of you.

Somewhere someone has taken on a challenge because of you.

Adding value doesn’t occur by accident, nor is it something that happens on its own, like the tides. The best leaders add value intentionally by knowing what is important and making choices based on that knowledge.

But true leaders know that the question, whether they are adding value, is not the only question, they are also asking themselves if they are subtracting value too.

Are you adding value to yourself or subtracting value from the person who matters the most?

Are you acquiring new skills? Are you spending your time on improving your competencies? Are you working on your leadership and adding value to your life, or are you squandering your time with the same old- same old?

Are you adding value to your team or subtracting value from those you care about the most?

Are you delegating to others to show that you trust them? Are you eliminating the barriers that make others feel useful and important? Are you allowing your team to step into their roles and step out with their talent? Or are you controlling and micromanaging? Do you need to pull back from doing and spend more time advising?

Are you adding value to your family or subtracting value from those you love the most?

Do you hold family paramount? Do you remember to cultivate a relationship with your family, to give something to and for them on a daily basis? Sometimes we get busy and we forget to make the time. Are you checked in or checked out? Make family a priority, and make decisions that benefit those you love. The concept of making a difference for your family holds families together in tough times as well as good.

Are you adding value to the things you hold dear or subtracting value from what you regard the most?

There is a cause or an issue out there with your name on it—something important to you, someplace where you can serve and make a difference in a way that is unique to you. Have you sought it out and cultivated involvement? Are you devoting energy every day into making a difference or are you waiting for the right time, right place, right people to appear in your life?

Many times we are subtracting value without even realizing it, but true leadership is always being mindful and always asking am I adding or subtracting?

To be the most successful as a leader, find the time to ground yourself daily in the things that are most important to you: Your own leadership, your team, your family, your passions.

Lead From Within: Stop and think. Are you adding value or subtracting value? Think hard where you want to concentrate your efforts, and where you most want to make the most difference because that is where you leadership and life begins.

The post Are You Adding Value Or Subtracting Value appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

When you think of leadership, you want a wise leader who is quick on their feet and sharp in their vision and intelligent in their decisions.

But there is something that triumphs intelligence when it comes to leadership.

Because even for the quickest, smartest, best leader, if they don’t have integrity all the intelligence is for naught.

As we have learned in history and in current events, high intelligence is no guarantee of good judgment, and good judgment is closer to wisdom than high intelligence is.

When we lead with integrity, our leadership is asking us to meet reality with the core of who we are—and frankly that takes courage.

Integrity trumps intelligence when the leader knows …

Brains are good but character is better.

Our work environments are designed for us to be nimble and smart, but intelligence doesn’t get people to connect with you or follow you. It’s your character that shines as an example. It’s the leaders with a strong moral character and good old-fashioned values who stand above the rest.

Wisdom is fundamental but trust is vital.

You don’t gain wisdom by thinking highly of yourself, but you can gain admiration and appreciation when you lead from trust. When you lead with trust you connect your heart to another. And where people feel caring and connection, where fear is minimized, trust can grow freely.

Cleverness is helpful but honesty is nobler.

Cleverness and intelligence may get noticed and even remembered, but when you lead with honesty you lead with a noble heart. The more honest you are with yourself and with others, the more purpose and meaning your life can hold. If your leadership is honest, everything else will follow.

An analytical mind is critical but an open mind is pivotal.

The facts, the spreadsheets, the figures are all important, but an open mind allows others to be heard and understood. Listening with an open heart is priceless beyond what any figures on a spreadsheet can measure.

Expertise is significant but humility is honorable.

Humility of heart is the first step toward both virtue and wisdom. A lack of wisdom and intelligence can be compensated with scrupulous integrity, but without humility you leave yourself no room to learn and grow.

Integrity is the most important of all the virtues.

It’s a requirement for accomplishing anything of value. When you become a leader of integrity, you leadership is clearly defined and meaningful.

Integrity is the sum of who you are. Guard it, nurture it—and lead with it.

Lead From Within: Integrity is not a process or a practice, but a principle that leaders treasure when they know what matters.

Lolly Daskal is the president and founder of Lead From Within a consulting firm specializing in executive coaching and customized leadership programs. Connect with Lolly Daskal

Additional Reading

The Leaders We Remember Most
Codes Of Conduct To Lead
Let Your Leadership Speak For Itself
The Power of Being Your Best

 

Image: Shutterstock

The post Intelligence is Important but Integrity Matters More appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

The best leaders are those who lead people to believe in themselves.

People believe in themselves when they have a reason to commit to something significant and meaningful.

When people feel inspired by their leader, leadership is at its best. When people are made to feel important, when they know they matter and they have an important role, they bring their best to all they need to accomplish. Inspiration drives motivation.

When people understand the direction of the vision, leadership is at its prime. People need to know where they are heading and why they are headed there. Once they have that knowledge, they can leverage their talent to achieve great results. Direction fosters purpose.

When people feel safe to make mistakes, leadership is supportive. While success relies on innovation and creativity, it also takes many mistakes to succeed. When your people feel safe to fail, you have done your job in preparing them to meet challenges and letting them know they will go unscathed when they make mistakes. A safety net promotes security.

When people experience trust in their own ability, leadership is at its peak. Those you entrust feel important and empowered. Trust encourages people to bring their talent and knowledge and become part of the team. Trust leads to confidence.

When people know they can contribute in a meaningful way, leadership is optimal. It is important for people to know that they have a genuine contribution to make, that what they do is instrumental in achieving significant results. Meaning creates justification.

Give your people a reason to believe in themselves and watch them create something meaningful and significant.

Lead From Within: When you believe in people, you get people to believe in themselves. And when that happens you can achieve great things together.

Lolly Daskal is the president and founder of Lead From Within a consulting firm specializing in executive coaching and customized leadership programs. Connect with Lolly Daskal

Additional Reading

The Leaders We Remember Most

Codes Of Conduct To Lead

Let Your Leadership Speak For Itself

The Power of Being Your Best

 

© 2014 Lolly Daskal. All rights reserved. Photo Credit: ShutterStock

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The importance of trust is an emerging topic in business these days, showing up in advertisements, books, blogs, in books and articles. But unlike most buzzwords, trust is an enduring concept.

Trust matters because it is at the core of everything we do. With it, few things are out of reach; without it, leadership is meaningle ss.

Aristotle defines his concept of ethos, or trust, as comprising three attributes: first, intelligence and competence; second, character (that is, reliability and honesty); and third, goodwill.

These same elements of competence, reliability, honesty and consistency continue to form the foundation of trust. Cultivate these elements within yourself, and the trust of others will follow.

So how can you earn trust?

Be credible. Hold yourself to a high standard. No cutting corners, no coverups. Everything you do as a leader is transparent and as good as your word.

Be consistent. Constantly evaluate yourself, measuring your accomplishments and actions not against others but against your goals, your words, your beliefs.

Be competent. Insecure leaders may resort to bragging, but truly competent leaders allow their work to speak for itself. That means a commitment to learning and to building a base of experience.

Be connected. Connection is at the heart of trust—when you are connected you care about others, you communicate with them, you demonstrate the trust and respect you wish to receive.

And once you have trust, how can you keep it?

Be an example. Make sure your actions match your words and beliefs. Lead by example, instructing others through consistency, competency and communication.

Speak the truth. When the topic is difficult, when circumstance are challenging—that is when the truth is most important. When you speak from truth, you deepen respect.

Lead with integrity. Make sure you keep your actions congruent with your values and your words. That consistency is what integrity is made of.

Be accountable. Don’t hide your mistakes or make excuses. Be accountable for your actions and let everyone see you learn from them.

Help others succeed.Become an advocate for others and work for the advancement of those around you. When you help others succeed, learn and grow, you will not only earn trust but you will keep it for a long time.

Trust is at the heart of everything you do, the foundation of every relationship—with employees, colleagues, partners, family and friends. able to capitalize on what matters most.

Lead From Within: Trust is what matters most, and building trust requires an open mind, open heart and open will.

Lolly Daskal is the president and founder of Lead From Within a consulting firm specializing in executive coaching and customized leadership programs. Connect with Lolly Daskal

Additional Reading

Tear Down The Walls So Trust Can Get In

Just Trust Me

Codes Of Conduct To Lead

Let Your Leadership Speak For Itself

 

Photo Credit: Getty Images

The post Trust Matters. Learn How To Earn It and Keep It. appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

A group of very smart students were asked to make a list of what they considered to be the contemporary Seven Wonders of the World.

After much discussion and disagreement, the students were asked to write down their individual choices and pass them to the front of the room.

Once the papers were collected the teacher tallied up the list and wrote on the board the responses that had gotten the most votes:

1. Egypt’s Great Pyramids

2. Taj Mahal

3. Grand Canyon

4. Stonehenge

5. Empire State Building

6. St. Peter’s Basilica

7. China’s Great Wall

Everyone was excited about the list, except for one student who was sitting in the back of the classroom and who remained extremely quiet. She hadn’t even turned in a paper.

The teacher asked, “Are you having trouble with your list?”

The girl quietly answered, “Yes, I am having a little trouble—I couldn’t quite make up my mind because there were so many great wonders!”

The teacher said, “Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help.”

The girl hesitated, but then slowly and quietly began to read her version of the Seven Wonders of the World:

1. To see

2. To hear

3. To touch

4. To taste

5. To feel

6. To laugh

7. To love

Lead From Within: The seven wonders of the world may be places on our list—places we want to visit, places where we see beauty or greatness. But if you really think about it, what are the seven wonders in your life and leadership? Which ones of them make the biggest difference? How can you make them matter even more?

Lolly Daskal is the president and founder of Lead From Within a consulting firm specializing in executive coaching and customized leadership programs. Connect with Lolly Daskal

Additional Reading:

Codes Of Conduct To Lead

Let Your Leadership Speak For Itself

The Power of Being Your Best

The post Life Lesson: The True Seven Wonders of the World appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

What makes some leaders stand out from the rest?

It has to do with their ability to think decisively.

The best leaders evaluate their options, weigh in on the alternatives, connect the dots, and look for potential in order to make informed decisions.

Here are some of the things great critical thinkers make a habit of:

Leading with questions. Open-ended questions, in particular, help you get to the heart of the matter. Start with Why?, How?, What?, and Where?

Embracing different points of view. As a leader, you need to be able to take advantage of the diversity in your team (and board, if you have one) to help you see things from different perspectives. The best leaders see and make use of the insights that everyone has to offer. They honor different opinions and ideas, because they know those differences lead to better decisions.

Leading with agility. As the old saying goes, the only constant is change—and the variables are always shifting and adjusting. Leading through change requires an open mind that can see opportunity in every situation.

Keeping an open mind. In the complex world of business, a leader with an open mind will find potential by sizing up all the answers, holding on to differences of opinion, and taking in all the variables to see clearly.

The leader who thinks critically and manages ambiguity will be the one who leads where others cannot.

Lead From Within: Be the leader who knows that nothing is as it seems. There is always uncertainty; there is always ambiguity. Be clever enough to size things up, connect the dots, see the potential, and act decisively when no one else can.

Lolly Daskal is the president and founder of Lead From Within a consulting firm specializing in executive coaching and customized leadership programs. Connect with Lolly Daskal

Additional Reading:

A Wise Leader Does Not Think So Much

Tough-minded Leadership with Tenderhearted Skills

Accountability, If It Is To Be, It’s Up To Me

The Only Decision Making Tool You Will Ever Need

The post The Best Leaders Are Critical Thinkers appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

As you move through life, if you’re at all thoughtful, you’re constantly developing your own personal code of conduct. It’s a process that happens consciously or unconsciously.

You see a cruel or destructive act and think I’d never do that. Or you hear of an act of kindness and store it away, thinking I want to be like that. And over time, these individual elements fuse together into the principles you live by.

If you have found your stride in life and you consider that your code’s more or less in place, that’s great.

If you’re still mastering the things you want to accomplish. Here are some codes of conduct to implement into your leadership.

Be your authentic self, because you have to live with yourself every day.
Forget those who did you wrong, because they’ve definitely forgotten you.
Remember those who helped you, because they haven’t forgotten.
Find the silver lining—unless there’s a golden one.
Ask questions, because they’re the precursor to answers.
Always take the high road. No matter what others say.


Choose your values and live confidently in your character
Treat others as you’d want to be treated.
Change what you can and let go of the rest.
The trust you give is the reverence you will receive.
Never ask anyone to do something you would never do yourself.
Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
Forgive yourself for your mistakes.
Always keep your word.


Be consistent in all you say and do.
Always play fair, no matter what.
Always be kind. Everyone has a hard fight ahead of them.
Make all the small things count.
Give more; expect less.
Make your word your bond.
Do what is right, even if no one is watching.

Lead From Within:  The codes of our lives are what help us to conduct ourselves rightly and have the right outlook on life. They provide guidance for our leadership.

What would you add to this list?

Lolly Daskal is the president and founder of Lead From Within a consulting firm specializing in executive coaching and customized leadership programs. Connect with Lolly Daskal

Additional Reading:

Let Your Leadership Speak For Itself

Take A Hard Look In The Mirror

Lead By Example Others Will Follow

The Leaders We Remember Most

 

© 2014 Lolly Daskal. All rights reserved. Photo Credit: ShutterStock

The post Codes Of Conduct To Lead By appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

If you want to make a name for yourself and be recognized as a leader in your field, remember: It’s not who you know, it’s how you know yourself.

Most people assume that the most efficient way to make yourself known is to meet the right people. And certainly that’s worth doing—but if you think meeting people is the only way to network, think again.

The best way to make a name for yourself is to carry yourself in such a way that your name speaks for you.

Let your life speak for you. Your effectiveness as a leader is tied to the image that others form about you, and your ability to project a leader’s presence is closely tied to who you are as a person and how you lead your life. Anyone can live to please others; the harder task is to live for yourself.

Let your character speak for you. You can spend a lot of time crafting your leadership skills, but it will be your character—as seen through your words and actions—that tells the story of your leadership. Spend the time to learn who you are and what you value, and demonstrate that knowledge in the things you say and do. A true character makes a great leader.

Let your virtue speak for you. The moral cement of leadership lies in virtue—right words and actions. They unite and preserve, while vices separate and destroy. For a virtuous leader, everything stems from that moral core. Be a person of virtue and you will be a great leader.

Let your integrity speak for you. Stand by your principles. Refuse to accept less than the best from yourself. Ask of others only what you yourself are willing to give. Speak the truth even though it may create conflict. True integrity and great leadership mean doing the right thing, even when nobody else will see or know.

Let your trust, and your trustworthiness, speak for you. Be careful with trust in even the smallest matter. Let your own trustworthiness be impeccable, and be a role model in building trustworthiness in those around you.

You don’t aspire to be anyone else, so let your words and actions make a name for themselves.

Remember, if you don’t know where you are going you will end up somewhere else, and if you don’t know who you are- you will become someone you are not.

Lead From Within: Our leadership is what others see of us and our life is what we know for ourselves. Spend time repairing any elements of your life that do not reflect who you really are, and work hard on living every moment in a way that’s true to yourself.

Lolly Daskal is the president and founder of Lead From Within a consulting firm specializing in executive coaching and customized leadership programs. Connect with Lolly Daskal

Additional Reading:

The Power of Being Your Best


Why You Should Play on Your Strengths–Not Focus on Your Weaknesses


Lead By Example Others Will Follow


The Leaders We Remember Most

© 2014 Lolly Daskal. All rights reserved. Photo Credit: ShutterStock

The post Let Your Leadership Speak For Itself appeared first on Lolly Daskal.