Some people in leadership positions, especially when they are relatively fresh in the role, wonder how they can become a better leader. The other circumstance for those that are at it a while longer is the frustration or lack of satisfaction you get when things don't work the way they should or you expect them to. There is a fundamental tendency to look for outside causes or reasons before looking at ourselves. Recently at a seminar in Ohio, Antonio Thorton said something very profound that fits really well for leaders and individuals in authority positions:

"If you want to keep getting what you're getting, keep doing what' you're doing!"

This goes for the performance results of your team members and those you lead, the work product, the participation in class, or during meetings, - pretty much every walk of life or work you encounter. If you really want to be the role model and the leader you are capable of, you need to ask yourself what you have been doing to cause the results you are getting.

Gordon Selfridge summed it up like this:

• The boss drives people ; the leader coaches them

• The boss depends on authority; the leader on good will

• The boss inspires fear; the leader inspires enthusiasm

• The boss says: "I"; the leader says "WE"

• The boss fixes the blame for the breakdown; the leader fixes the breakdown

• The boss says "Go"; the leader says "LET's Go!"

In my experience there are two main areas to look at:

1. Skills

2. Attributes

Skills is something you have learned and keep applying and refining. Most of the time your skills are not what causes the results to be as they are (unless you are in a profession that depends on your manual skills, like a carpenter, tile setter, etc.)

Attributes is where it is. How ambitious are you? How much can you depend on yourslef and those you lead? How much of a role model have you been, and most importantly, how clearly have the visions, strategies, and goals been developed and communicated among those from who you are getting what you're getting?

The Performance IQ system I use for assessments and coaching is a great first step to explore and discover what your own Performance IQ actually is and how you score across 12 drivers which determine your attributes for success. There is a place on the internet where you can go and test yourself by looking for the search term PerformanceIQ. Should anybody decide to do this, you need to enter the abbreviation AMC in the form where the company goes to get an evaluated result.

In case you are on the fence but still would like to get yourself on the path to success, try this approach:

"To get what you desire, change what doesn't work today!"

Copyright (c) 2008 Axel Meierhoefer