Everything, it seems, is changing: business, politics, communication, even the climate. But who you are should be a constant. If you want to attain the things you want, you must first know what is your message.

Your message is our leadership story, here are a few principles to help you define what matters:

You get the best out of others when you give the best of yourself. If you know what you want to achieve, you must know and understand your strong and weak points and be comfortable with who you are. When you can reach out to people authentically, it makes others comfortable. And when you understand your best and know how to give it, it unlocks excellence in those around you.

A set of clear values simplifies decision making. Your basic core values—what you believe—informs decision, every judgment, and every action that you make. When you’ve invested time in defining and understanding those values, they become second nature. Decisions are easier, and over time you become known as someone with a strong and consistent moral code.

It’s not just what happens to you that determines how far you will go; it is also how you handle what happens to you. Attitude is more important than education, money, circumstances, failure, success or any other factor in your life and work. There are many things in life you cannot change, but you choose your attitude every day.

Make sure that what you’re doing today is taking you closer to your goals. Set challenging but attainable goals and a compelling vision, then keep your focus there. It’s easy for short-term failure or distraction to take you off track. Setting your goals is like setting your compass. Once you’ve done it, you can check in often and save yourself a lot of aimless wandering.

You can acquire knowledge by studying, but wisdom comes with observation. Pay careful attention to the people around you. Notice their reactions; listen to what they say; think about what they’re leaving out. Let yourself learn from every vantage point.

Be yourself. As the saying goes, everyone else is taken. Don’t change to fit in, but seek out and develop your best qualities. We are what we pretend to be, so be careful about what you choose.

Persistence will get you there; consistency will keep you there. Don’t change your style of communication, or message depending on the circumstance. Be the same whether you are talking one on one or standing in front of a room of a thousand. Adapt to your audience and context, but keep your messaging consistent.

If things are to move forward, someone must be willing to take charge. Even in the hardest—and the best—of times, don’t leave things up to chance. It’s your responsibility to make sure that your company, brand, and organization exemplify what they stand for and what they are capable of. If you don’t shape the message, someone else will.

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. Finding good players is easy. Getting them to play as a team is another story. Coming together with a great team is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is what brings you success. When you have the right team, you have a group of people who are on your side, spreading the same message with the same passion as you.

Your leadership narrative is created by being who you are.

Lead From Within. As we create and develop businesses, companies, and our leadership, we can achieve much more with focus, discipline, and attention to everything we say and everything we do because it’s conveying our message–so lets make it meaningful.

 

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:

 

• At The Risk Of Being Changed


• The Power Of Parting: 7 Things You Need To Stop Doing 


• Lead From Where You Are And With All That You 


• The Wisdom Of Whole Hearted Leading

 

Photo Credit: Getty Images

The post You Are The Message Make It Meaningful appeared first on Lolly Daskal.