The most effective leaders are those who understand their strengths and weaknesses so they in turn can develop strategies and provide solutions to meet the demands of their environment. Taking time to “get real” with yourself and to truly assess who you are and where there may be cracks in your proverbial leadership foundation is essential in identifying areas of growth or refinement needed.

A leader’s character and how they behave are non-negotiable factors in becoming not just an effective leader but is often the tipping point in becoming an outstanding leader.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

1. What type of leader do I desire to become?  How do I wish others to see me and what kind of outcomes would I like to be successful in achieving?
2. How equipped am I right now to deal with problems and challenges?
3. Am I an influencer?  How can I better leader people to understanding my point of view?
4. How do I manage my environment?  Am I respectful to others? Do I set a good pace for working and achieving results?  What can I do better?
5. How do I respond to rules and procedures set by others?
6. How can I be a value to my organization?

These are just a few questions that outstanding leaders will continually reflect and refine upon.  Take some time to reflect on those people who inspire you or have mentored you over the years.  How can you become more effective in your leadership abilities in what you have learned from them and what impact will you leave on those whose lives you inspire?

Paula Morand is a dedicated wife, mother and lover of life.  She is the Founder and CEO of JumpStart 720, an award winning leadership coaching company that is committed to powering life by engaging individuals, companies and communities to more intentional living.  For more information:  www.jumpstart720.com

Leaders guide and teach through their daily actions and practices.

You wake up in the morning.  You didn’t sleep well the night before as you could only think about that new contract your company just bid on.  Can we really pull that off?  Is there enough time?  You wake restless, your head full of second thoughts – it is a dark and rainy morning and the first thing that pops into your head is, “Maybe I should just go back to bed!”

Well, if you didn’t manage the company, that would probably be a great idea, but then what would you expect of those that report to you if you did the same thing?  As a Leader – you have to rise above the crowd, regardless of the circumstances.

Leaders lead by example.

Being a leader is tough and if you’ve been told otherwise – think again.  It is a privilege to have the opportunity to teach, nurture and guide your people as a leader.  They look to you for answers.  They look to you for stability – that “standard.”  You set that standard in the company!  If you are habitually late without cause – they notice.  If you get frustrated easily – they notice.  If you lose the drive and determination they not only notice, they panic.  As a leader, you have to push through even when it isn’t comfortable.

As a leader you can accomplish this by following these 3 simple steps:

Practice what you preach.

Your actions speak much louder than your mere words! Respect is earned and duplicated. Integrity is following through no matter what. Soon enough, your team will begin wearing your colors.

Find a coach or mentor for yourself.

Good leaders never walk alone – they have mentors they can rely on in order to stay on track or get ahead.

Maintain realistic expectations.

Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was a stellar CEO. Allow yourself permission to go through the process and be open to learning.

Paula Morand is a dedicated wife, mother and lover of life.  She is the Founder and CEO of JumpStart 720, an award winning leadership coaching company that is committed to powering life by engaging individuals, companies and communities to more intentional living.  For more information:  www.jumpstart720.com

There is something in the air. You can sense it, but can’t quite put your finger on it.

It is the feeling that something good is about to happen; that feeling that starts in your heart and then seems to radiate throughout your whole being until recognition sets in that it is YOU who is about to be transformed.

So how  would we best describe a “Transformational Leader”: One who is committed to encouraging and guiding valuable, positive results in others. Think of the transformation leader as a conduit; one who enhances the morale, motivation and performance of others by using a variety of mechanisms to help individuals succeed.

The “Transformational Leader” values the individual, not the achievement and has a recognition plan in place to reinforce those beliefs with authenticity.

The “Transformational Leader” also recognizes the value of continued personal growth and in modelling their own leadership skills with confidence, humbleness and focus.

Paula Morand is a dedicated wife, mother and lover of life.  She is the Founder and CEO of JumpStart 720, an award winning leadership coaching company that is committed to powering life by engaging individuals, companies and communities to more intentional living.  For more information:  www.jumpstart720.com

Where does the coach in you begin and end? How ‘intimate’ do you get with your pupils? How much of yourself do you share?

Ever seen ‘Good Will Hunting’? If you have, then you’ll remember the plot of discovery between the two main characters focused on peeling away the layers of our ‘hero’ Will as his therapist Sean Maguire attempts to ‘rehabilitate’ him.

For our therapist to have a chance at gaining trust, he needs to open up about himself and his own life. It is only when these boundaries are removed that the characters allow themselves to be vulnerable with one another…allowing the learning and change to take place and the story emerge.

Hopefully, you won’t be assigned such a difficult case, but you will discover as you work with people closely: in order to establish trust, you may need to show some vulnerability yourself.

There is of course a line one doesn’t want to cross as your personal self doesn’t need to be an open book. In the course of establishing a ‘rapport’ with your team, you will have to establish boundaries, both personally and professionally, in order to maintain focus on the work or goals at hand.

Without establishing these boundaries. along with each team member’s expectations, the relationship will suffer. Your team will want to know exactly how they can be successful in their role to more easily evaluate when and how they may fall short or become a champion. It is only then that the two parties can effectively approach feedback or coaching in a particular area and establish a long term, positive relationship.

Sure, you may want to have an open door policy or want to know if one of your team members is experiencing a stressful personal situation. But, do you want to know every detail in an ongoing fashion? Not in your capacity. You’re a coach, not a therapist. That’s not to say you shouldn’t show sensitivity, but your responsibility is to not let it affect other members of the team and to help he or she get more appropriate assistance.

We are all human and it may be difficult at times to separate your role as a manager vs. a person who can empathize. The key is to remain as consistent with your boundaries and expectations as you can, as well as embracing a coach, peer or mentor yourself that does not have direct involvement with your team or organization.

Paula Morand is a dedicated wife, mother and lover of life.  She is the Founder and CEO of JumpStart 720, an award winning leadership coaching company that is committed to powering life by engaging individuals, companies and communities to more intentional living.  For more information:  www.jumpstart720.com