Mark Cole: 11 Reasons Why You Will Be a Better Leader This Year

There’s a hunger for leadership in the world today like never before.

People have looked to Hollywood, sports figures and politics, all in hopes that leadership will show itself. We’ve all been disappointed in places of business, or faith, or Wall Street. And this has generated confusion about what leadership really means.

This hunger produces a vacuum that creates opportunities for you and me to show what real leadership looks like.

I’m going to give you 11 statements that will ensure you’ll be a better leader this year. There are 11 because there are 11 months left in 2019. I want you to pick one of these statements each month and diligently make them true of you each day that month.

Are you ready?

1. I will be abundant.

Move from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset. I want you to be generous with information. Share what you know and see it as an opportunity to add value to others. This practice will create abundance in others.

2. I will be humble.

Reject the trap of power! When we become elitists with our thinking, we distance ourselves from our people. Don’t overvalue your position so much that you become self-absorbed and disconnected from the people you serve. Embrace humility.

3. I will be appreciative.

Find things you normally don’t appreciate and start appreciating them. Maybe it’s something as simple as food, or your home, or where you work. Do something out of the ordinary to demonstrate that appreciation. Leadership isn’t about how you feel; it’s about how you make others feel. Appreciate things that others don’t even realize they’re missing.

4. I will be respectable.

It’s an honor to lead. It’s a privilege to have influence. Leaders have an obvious respectable persona. We don’t do things that some people do. We’re aware that our influence and our actions are under scrutiny and so we act differently than non-leaders. Leaders have a responsibility to carry themselves respectably.

5. I will be focused.

The best leaders are the ones who know how to focus. When you avoid trivial distractions and stay fixated on your core values, your vision will be attained. When you’re focused you will always do what matters most and communicate the vision tirelessly until it’s accomplished.

6. I will be productive.

When you are driven and accountable to produce, you will expect the same from others. Great leaders know how to produce no matter the circumstance or the mood. As a leader, production is essential.

7. I will be reflective.

As leaders, we want to shape the future, but to do that, we must take time to reflect on the past and the present. When you take time to reflect, you keep yourself aligned and continually impacting others.

8. I will be healthy.

I want you to choose health. And yes, I am talking about your physical health. Regular exercise not only makes you feel better physically, it also has a profound impact on your cognitive abilities. Be healthy!

9. I will be curious.

Be a student everyday. When you’re committed to being a lifelong learner, and building a learning culture within your team, you will outpace the competition. You can’t rely on what has worked for you in the past. There has to be a healthy curiosity that drives you to improve.

10. I will be a servant.

Be passionate about serving people. Being a servant leader is how you build others and take them to greater heights. You will experience a new level of significance as you serve those around you.

11. I will be reproductive.

You are effective when you set an example for others to follow. Everything you do matters. It’s not about you, or what you gain, or what you get; it’s about making a difference for others to a point that inspires them to do the same for someone else.

Assign a month for each of these statements. I want you to become obvious in your leadership this year!

We need role models again, gang. Go be the leader that your world needs.