I think it's important to note that great leaders are made, not born, so each and every one of you has the opportunity to hone your leadership skills and become the leader you want to be.  Here are some of the top qualities that great leaders possess.

Fairness - Great leaders are able to put their own feelings aside and look at what is best for their team as a whole.
Knowledge - Leaders should attempt to get as many details about a situation as possible before making their decision.
Decisive - G...
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Managers are the key to successful organizations.  Becoming a great manager and leader is a process.  Steven Covey talks about the Whole-Person Paradigm in Leadership: Great Leaders, Great Teams, Great Results.  He states that great leaders see people as whole--body, heart, mind and spirit--and work to unleash their full creative potential.

Employees are the most critical asset a company has.  A manager is the conduit between the individual employee, their goals and desires and the goals of th...
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As a leader, you will acquire a lot of knowledge and experience--even wisdom--along the way.  One of the most important parts of your job is passing it on to the next generation of leaders.  This is how you expand the capabilities of everyone else in your organization, individually and collectively.

Tim Sanders calls this being a "lovecat".  According to Sanders in his book, Love Is The Killer App, "...a lovecat gives away their intangibles to promote growth of everybody they do business with....
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Being a Colorado native you naturally become a Broncos fan whether you are really into football or not.  Just living in the Mile High City you get swept up by the enthusiasm of the fans in this city.  It has been a whirlwind season and today the Broncos are facing the New England Patriots under the leadership of Tim Tebow.  Some have their doubts of how the game will turn out for the Broncos but you can't help but be impressed by the character of their leader, Tim Tebow.

As a leadership coach,...
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Keeping employees motivated can sometimes be a challenge.  What with the economy, layoffs, everyone being asked to do more, people can get frustrated in their work. 

Many believe that money is on the top of most peoples’ list of what motivates them.  I tend to disagree.  In a previous blog post I wrote about how to motivate employees by unleashing their power and potential.

Now don’t get me wrong.  I do believe ...

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Here are the last 3 mistakes that leaders make.  Be sure to read Part 1 and Part 2 if you happened to miss them.  Again, take time to reflect back on your leadership style.  Have you been guilty of any of these 9 mistakes?

7.  Acting as if you have all the answers

Just because you have the title of “Boss” doesn’t mean you have to have all the answers.  As a matter of fact, managers who insist on making all the de...

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Recently I was talking to a senior leader of a telecommunications company about the mistakes managers make in leading their teams.  The discussion went on for some time and in the end we identified 9 critical mistakes.  I am sure this list is not all inclusive but it is a place for you to start thinking about whether you have fallen into some of these traps.  As you read through the list, I invite you to honestly assess if...

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The beginning of the year is a great time to take a look at your purpose or vision statement.  What?  You don’t have a vision statement?  Then how do you know if you are on course if you aren’t clear on what you stand for as a leader? 

There is an interesting article by leadership coach John M. McKee entitled “Best leaders know what they stand for”.  He explores the age old question of why some leaders make mor...

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To build a strong, effective team, (whether it be at work, at home or in your community) you first need to communicate your values as a person and a leader.   What are the guiding principles that you live by and are willing to defend when challenged?

Many times we think we know what our values are, but when pressed, we are not able to articulate them clearly.  Knowing the core of who you are and what you believe will allow you to authentically model the behavior you expect. 

As a leader you a...
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Are you ready to have a more positive impact on those you lead?  Would you like to be the one who empowers others to be their best?  When good leaders are effectively empowering their team, their lives are easier and their team is happier.  When teams are empowered, leaders don't spend nearly as much time checking up, putting out fires, or lighting fires under people who are not motivated.  When people feel empowered, they will be at their best and get their best results.  When your team is r...
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