7 Reasons Why Character Trumps Strategy

Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy: Norman Schwarzkopf.

In any sphere of life, leadership is as essential as it is fragile. Essential because without good leadership people do not produce their best; fragile because the best leader can lose their mantle of leadership quickly if they fail to understand and follow some simple, yet profound principles.

The marriage of character and strategy is critical in the delivery of leadership in any situation, yet the role of character in this union is often misunderstood or under-emphasized.

Here are seven reasons why.

1. People won't follow leaders who lack character - When leaders at any level demonstrate poor intentions, decisions or worst of all, values, it comes as no surprise that their teams develop an instinctive reluctance to follow them. Like walking out onto thin ice, people treat such lack of character with great caution and usually pull back; emotionally and psychologically if not practically. Alternatively, the leader prepared and willing to precede their teams actions by first walking out onto the ice will inevitably gain respect, and a willingness from their team to follow.


2. People don't trust leaders who lack character - However a leader may view their followers responses, the reality is that people watch their leader closely; they carefully canvas and review the leaders track record on matters of performance, judgment and most of all character. People learn instinctively and quickly whether to trust their superiors; and the adage that trust takes a lifetime to gain but moments to lose is relevant here. When a leader sees fit to behave without integrity, their followers immediately lose trust in them; if a leader is dishonest or demonstrates a lack of truthfulness with a client, why should I trust them, are they being honest with me?


3. People won't respect leaders who lack character - If the greatest attribute of a leader is to command respect, not demand it, then one of the greatest privileges of a follower is to respect them and hold them up as role model. Leaders who lack character inevitably find that their followers won't respect them, nor seek to emulate them or use them as a role model; their followers won't take pride in the fact of serving or even being associated with the leader in question. A leader who lives a life of integrity earns the right to be respected, imitated and their followers loyalty is among their greatest assets.


4. People don't feel safe with leaders who lack character - Leaders who lack character never achieve a dynamic where their team feels completely safe around them; safe with their judgment, decisions and concern for the team. When followers are unsure about their leaders character or ethos, they can never be quite sure how their leader will act, or respond; never be fully confident in them; never be willing to be fully transparent with them and never, ever willing to expose their flaws to them; for they will always sense insecurity and possibly feel threatened, and even intimidated. Leaders whose character is proven find that their teams feel safe around them and will subsequently demonstrate absolute confidence in their leadership.


5. People won't give their best to leaders who lack character - When followers are confronted by a leader whose character is in question they inevitably won't give their best; the whole team or organizations potential is compromised. In this paradigm people feel demoralized and discouraged; why bother, there's no point, I'm not appreciated are common responses. Yet when a leader shows his or her character, their colours to the team whether in good times, or even better, in bad times, the team naturally determines to give it all, to do whatever it takes (ethically) to achieve the goals of the organization.


6. People don't see a future for leaders who lack character - When leaders fail to demonstrate character their team cannot see a positive way forward. They can't visualize a healthy future for the leader and so distrust and uncertainty creep in. Once this happens it is like the analogy of the stick of chalk dipped in ink; the irreparable damage is done; usually cannot be undone and the future is sealed for the leader. Followers will often die for a cause or a leader but once the leader reveals poor character the bond of trust is destroyed and is unlikely to be restored; such is the utter imperative for a leader to be vigilant regarding their character. People who lose faith in a leaders character will always struggle to have faith in the leaders cause; the constant thought will be we are always only one step, one bad decision away from failure or disaster.


7. People won't risk their future with leaders who lack character - Ultimately, the principle of what's in it for me will come into play when followers consider their leaders character and integrity. For people who have invested heavily, possibly for a lifetime, into their personal career and future, the thought of allying themselves to and supporting a leader without character is usually too much to bear. Figuratively, and sometimes practically, people will give their life for a leader who gains their trust and respect, yet will not give the time of day to one who demonstrates poor character.

To optimize the performance of any team or organization character and strategy should co-exist, with each bringing its unique elements of success to the equation. Of the two, character stands pre-eminent as the single most powerful quality of a team and its leader. For without it, the crucial elements of confidence, commitment, enthusiasm and sacrifice are absent; and by default, success is also absent.

Author Neil Findlay

Go After What Is Possible and Realize Your Unlimited Potential

Many times impossible only exists in your mind. If you have a desire to achieve a goal you must break through what you think is impossible to what is possible. If you are at a point in your life where you are ready to think bigger and live bigger, you must focus on what is possible for you to achieve.

Every one of us has dreams. And every one of us deserves to achieve our dreams. But many times in between where we are at, and where we desire to be, is a mindset that is not contributing to our success. When you focus on what you think is impossible instead of what is possible, that way of thinking is not going to support you, or what you want to see happen in your life.

There is a whole world of possibilities waiting for you. But you may never know if you never step out in faith to pursue your goals and dreams. You have to allow your faith to rise higher than what you think is impossible, design a plan to accomplish what you want to accomplish, and then and take action. When you look at all of the possibilities that have been presented to you, that can help you become aware of your unlimited potential.

Expand beyond your current mindset and go after what you want, and don't stop until you get it. This is an experience that can catapult your life in ways greater than you have ever imagined. Because you are an amazing individual born to achieve, now is your time to make it happen. Believe in yourself and see yourself doing what brings you joy and satisfaction. Once you see yourself doing what brings you joy and satisfaction, then make that picture you see a reality.

If you are not satisfied with your current life, you don't have to stay unsatisfied. You can do something to change your life in a powerful way. Before you let another day go by ask yourself what you would like to see happen in your life? And then take the steps to make it happen. If you take achieving your goals one step at a time, and one day at a time, you will have a wonderful opportunity to achieve the success you desire. And you don't have to take a huge leap of faith, because even tiny leaps of faith count too. And even small steps can create a big difference in your life.

You have the ability to change and shift your life in the direction you want it to go in. Never accept settling for less than what you want in your life. If there is any area of your life you are not fulfilled in, now is your moment to realize you deserve to achieve all you were born to achieve. So let go of any beliefs that are blocking you, and embrace your future... the way you dream of it being.

The Article That Says You Can

This could be a classic motivational article. But, to my surprise, it is going to be more than that or less and simpler than that, depending on your point of view. A winner is created by knowing we can do it and then doing it, sure. But something beyond that to make a winner is needed. A sense of activated and active faith at every level that works with the circumstances and not against them. That means persisting through temporary failures, and supposed setbacks to succeed at what you really want. If you quit and you really want what you were striving for, you never know your possibilities to succeed at what you want to succeed at. In fact, I can say that is why the full capacity of brain power is not used by many people, they quit too early, and get a glimpse of success or what it is really all about too late. Early, right time or late, the possibilities always exist for our discovery of them. That is also the point of this article.

The possibilities are always within us, but, we need to go with them with persistence. It does not matter about temporary slips and falls. As long as we can get back up and do what must be done to ultimately succeed.

My personal views added here: As existence exists all the time, each moment of existence that is conscious is another chance for us to succeed. Note, I did not say or mean anything about past lives or future lives, I am referring to what is happening now and the possibilities of now in existence. There, I just stopped a point of controversy of sorts there, by making clear what I mean by all this.

So, when I call this an article that says "you can", you know exactly and explicitly what I mean by "you can". Sure, I could make this a less clear, more beautiful, more complicated or complex article, but all the beautiful theory in the world cannot replace what works. Sure, I can theorize about unreality, and create some wonderful looking stuff, but until the laws behind what make that theory a reality are worked out, it is nothing. It is nothing but beautiful chatting and conjecture about what we want, not about the facts that work and the facts that are. With that said, when we find what works in reality, it is time to grow again. Because when something becomes too normal and entrenched, that is unhealthy too. So, I will skip to the reality of the dreamer who can make a reality out of theory or a dream of a better life and existence, and that will be the last exciting paragraph.

All realities start out as possibilities. Possibilities become realities only through consistent and persistent action that ignores the temporary failures and embraces the successes fully. After all, everybody remembers the baseball home run records of George Herman Ruth, Leroy Paige, Mickey Charles Mantle, then later Henry Louis Aaron, but not all the strike out records on the way there to their great records. On a more sickening note, the only way to avoid strike out records like the greatest had is to do it like Barry Lamar Bonds, Mark David McGwire and Samuel Peralta Sosa with their cheating through performance enhancing drugs. The point of this paragraph and the whole article is that, the only person who does is the one that genuinely does it and fulfills the possibilities in a real way. For the one who succeeds, sure there is much trying before the success, but there is always doing.

How Stressful Thinking Impacts You

Most of us experience tension daily, often it's hour by hour or worse minute to minute. How we cope with stress and worry determines whether we move forward or allow it to hold us back. Habitual negative thinking is often frenzied, inaccurate, and undependable, yet you can go through your entire life with negative thoughts that cause unproductive behavior and a more difficult life. Most people dealing with stress especially chronic stress assume that there's no getting around it, and its just the way life has to be. But this is certainly not the case!

Silencing the habitually negative mind is easier than you imagine and it all starts with a single positive thought.

How Your Negative Mind Effects Your Positive Aspirations

A negative mind not only regulates the way you approach life, it also has a tremendous impact on your physical body, and with your mind body connection working against homeostasis rather then in flow having a negative impact on your health. When you switch off negative thoughts and turn on positive thinking, you have the power to move toward a healthier more productive and creative you. With time and effort, you can transform your thought process, and it's quite simple actually, because it all begins with just a few simple words.

The Power of A Few Words...

When you see a list of affirmations, you see absolutely nothing more than a list of words with optimistic expressions that do not appear to apply to you or embody your current way of thinking. If you take a closer look at each affirmation, you may find that many embrace the way you wished you could feel and think.

When you see words that speak to you and how you'd like to feel, hold onto them. You can use them to get rid of a unwelcome idea you wish to eliminate. Fundamentally, with practice, you will be replacing your negative thinking pattern with a positive thinking. This is exactly what positive affirmations are all about!

But let me caution you here. In order for your affirmations to be effective they have to meet the following criteria:

Affirmations have to be in your own voice. They need to be phrased and spoken the way you speak.

Your affirmations should be phrased and said in the same way that you would say them to a friend. After all, your mind is your friend. In fact, it's one of your best friends.

Words are a powerful way to evoke emotions both positive and negative. Use affirmation that speaks to you on a deep level and keep them in the forefront of your mind by repeating these words often. By doing this you create room for your new thoughts to germinate and grow until these thoughts become a reality. Again the trick is to use words that are meaningful to you and say them in the same way you normally speak.

If at some point, as we all do, you may become overwhelmed with negative thinking, if that happens simply close your eyes and take a few deep breaths until your emotions become a little bit more under control. Then use your affirmations to interrupt your thinking pattern.

One final thought... the past is a closed door you can choose to keep going back into that unfilled and stressful room or you can choose another door. So let's set a few ground rules:

Ground Rules Eliminate Negative thinking

1. You must start by being honest with yourself and make a sincere commitment to make changes

2. You must develop a deep passion to get rid of stressful thinking

3. You must be willing to embrace new strategies and give yourself permission to be creative

4. Give yourself a break when your old patterns re-appear as they undoubtedly will. Don't beat yourself up just begin again.

Does this sound as well great to be true? There are many people who, like you, believe this technique is well... just too easy so it can't possibly work.. The only way to know for certain is to try it. What do you have to lose? No one has to know your using affirmation it's personal and private. After all it's all in your mind. It's easy convenient and you can take them wherever you go.

The Power of Presence

Breathing deeply, allow yourself to come into stillness, feel the air around you, what do you hear, smell and see right now in this present moment? What is presence? What is this present moment and what is being offered to you right here, right now? When we practice being present we have the opportunity to truly engage with the unfolding of creation in an active and collaborative way. By coming into the moment we slow and sometimes can even stop time. Capturing the essence and richness of what life is offering us right now allows us the gift of creating in conjunction with the most powerful forces of the Universe.

All too often we spend an incredible amount of time and life force energy either reminiscing for days gone by or future tripping to moments yet to be born and we miss this moment, this time, this gift, this present. How rich is this moment? It carries within it all of your experiences, your wisdom, your knowledge, every previous moment that led to the creation of this one is here, now, inherent in this moment. So too it carries within it the seeds of all the possibilities and potentialities of the unlimited, eternal and infinite future time to come. Where is your power? If you spend your time ruminating in the past, reliving over and over again all of your old wounds, karmically tied to long gone relationships or circumstances, then you are powerless. If you spend your time constantly gazing out at the distant horizon fantasizing about all of the places or people you could be now, instead of being here and being with who you are, once again you are powerless. To truly step into your power, as a conscious co-creator with the Universe of the reality that you desire, you must step in to right here, right now, this present moment.

This doesn't mean that you disregard the lessons of the past choices that you've made for each choice brought you to where you presently are, nor does it mean that you fail to visualize and imagine where you might like to be next, visioning and dreaming a new future into being for yourself. What it means is the power, the place of action, the place of intent is here in the present moment.

What does it mean to be present? Truly the only way to be present in this reality is to fully and completely inhabit your physical body. Far too many people have spent the better portion of their lives exclusively up in the mind with a total disregard for the body or the body's wisdom. The physical body IS the only vehicle presently available to you through which you manifest your reality. It is through the use of your physical body and physical elements that everything is created. An idea is only an abstract concept until it is brought down to earth and implemented through the physical body. Being connected at the physical means having a deep and abiding connection with the Earth Mother as well, for it is through the magnetic force of gravity that all elemental particles are held together in the vast void of space.

Take a moment right now to feel your body. Touch your body with your own hands. Take your toes, your feet, your ankles, your lower legs, knees and thighs and touch each part. Rub your hands on your belly, your lower back, your chest, upper and lower arms, throat, face, and head. Feel how the body is connected and unified and how each part works in harmony with all the other parts in order to provide your Spirit with a vehicle for navigating this three dimensional reality.

Now take a deep breath. Close your eyes. Take this very moment to go inward, to enter into the inner realms of your being and to see, feel, hear and know how your inner and your outer worlds are intimately and intricately connected with each other. Breathe, rest, and allow this knowing to permeate your being at every level. Feel the truth of this in your skin, your bones, your blood, your nervous system, your muscles, your heart, and your lungs. Feel the truth of your unity with all things in the material and the spiritual world right down to the cells, molecules, atoms and DNA that are the building blocks of your physical vessel. Allow your being, your presence, your true self to fully inhabit your body. Come here, now, to this present moment and just be.

5 Simple Steps to Become a Life Coach

The coaching business is on the rise and you are wondering weather to join the bandwagon or not? There are some questions you need to ask yourself before anything else.

STEP 1 - Is coaching for you?

Is coaching for you? Do you have what it takes to be a great coach? Are you ready to be a coach? These are questions that need answering before anything else. You can try one of those free quizzes online or better yet, try talking to a coach specialized in career, or life purpose.

STEP 2 - Choose the type of coaching you want to practice

Evaluate yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, your skills, your area of expertise, your accreditation. Also think about your likes and dislikes regarding professions and areas of expertise. If you feel like you can not do all this work alone, ask the help of a career coach.

STEP 3 - Coach training and certification

You do not need to be certified to begin coaching, at the time of writing we know of no countries that require certification to practice as a coach, however some US states are making moves to regulate the profession.

Don't get certified if you think it will make you "worthy" as a coach, few clients bother to ask about your training. Getting certified may differentiate yourself in the long term, can be a reason for charging higher rates and it is important for the development of your skill. There are some very successful coaches from both camps, the certified ones and the non certified ones.

Forget about accreditation until you have around 1000 hours of paid coaching in your "portfolio"

Pick a school whose training inspires you, if that school is ICF accredited than you will end up with both the school's and ICF accreditation. If you choose Coachville, than no ICF accreditation, but you will have a CV and IAC accreditation.

STEP 4 - Prepare yourself

Start building your services, products or programs before actually selling them. Here are some steps that you need to follow through:

- Research & Development: Define your product or program, assess the need in your market, research competitive products and programs, research production and delivery options

- Finalize Your Content and Assemble Your Product: content, packaging, delivery.

You can read books on the subject of creating your own product or program, or you can take a course, there are lots of good online and offline courses. Of course you need to decide initially how much money you want to invest in yourself before making any money. All this is your strategy.

STEP 5 - Book Yourself Solid

You will need to teach yourself notions of selling and marketing if you want to make any money. You can read books and resources on the net or you can attend a course. A good course should teach you about:

- how to develop a personal brand

- building trust and credibility

- promotion strategies like: networking, referral, web strategy, writing, speaking and demonstrating, keep-in-touch strategy and so on.

How to Find Motivation to Get Through Each Day

Life can take its toll on all of us sometimes, and a lack of motivation can make your life much harder than it needs to be. Getting out of bed in the morning can seem like a hard thing, but with a bit of help, you can find your way again. Read on below for some great tips to motivate you to get through your day and make a difference in your life.

Having a goal for your day can give your life meaning. Grab a notebook that you will dedicate to your goals each day. Before going to bed at night, write down something you want to accomplish the following day. This should be almost like a to-do list when you go shopping. If you choose to do this, you will start looking forward to each day because you feel like you have initially accomplished something every day of your life.

Give yourself a boost every morning by going outside and getting some fresh air. A few minutes surrounded by fresh air in the morning can clear your mind. It will not only clean your lungs, but give you a chance to clear up any problems you may have had with sleep.

Make sure you are eating a healthy breakfast. Poor eating habits can not only make you feel worse, they will also take a toll on your health. A breakfast equipped with all of the right food groups will ensure you have enough energy to get through your day.

Take some time to exercise every morning. It not only makes you a healthier person, but it lets you blow off some steam. If something is bothering you, exercise can help you find solutions to your problems as it lets you think. Thinking while you exercise is a common way of finding solutions to many problems.

In lieu of being healthy, make sure you are hydrated enough. Getting through the day is not just dependent on how you assert your mind, but how hydrated you are. Your health depends on drinking 8 glasses of water each day.

Center your inner self by choosing to meditate or pray in the morning. If you are generally not religious, meditation can help you get in touch with your inner self and give your day focus. Praying can work much in the same way and reaffirm your much-needed faith. Whatever you choose to do, these can all help you overcome daily obstacles.

Oftentimes, a lack of sleep may contribute to a bad day ahead. Instead of dwelling on past dreams or nightmares, understand where they come from. Your subconscious mind is often trying to tell you something when you encounter dreams. Whenever you wake up, grab a notebook and write down dreams. This will give you a chance to look back at different dreams you may have had and you can analyze them to your benefit.

A positive attitude at the start of each day is the secret to success. Any great and successful person will tell you that having goals and a daily routine gets you started each morning. Use the simple, yet straightforward advice from this article to ensure you are doing what you can for yourself!