Leadership Defined

Leadership dynamics were studied by Stanford University. They studied those in the low levels of companies that rose to become presidents of Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies. What was the common theme that lead to their rise in the ranks? There was one common characteristic. Times of crisis is when leaders emerge. This is not something that can be taught, rather it is inherent in the character of a leader. So, when any of us are facing some sort of major challenge we find ourselves in a true test of our leadership abilities.

We know that problems, setbacks and crisis are inevitable. One can't avoid them and they don't ever stop. A leader's duty could easily be described as a problem solver. To much is give, much is expected as a leader. More money, more problems. How to respond to these problems is the only thing that a leader can do. If had control, the problem may not have occured in the first place, but we didn't so here it is. This is defined as our response ability. Our capacity to respond to crunch times of modern existence. There are 7 steps, according to Brian Tracy, that can be taken during difficult times.

1. Stay calm. Take some time to catch your breath. The true test of leaders is effectively handling problems and challenges. True leaders keep their cool. According to neuro-science, blood flows to the front of the brain, the thinking brain, when we remain calm. The front of the brain, the thinking brain, is where we analyze, make decisions and take action. But when we become excited then blood flows to the paleocortex, the animal brain, which activates emotions. Anger, fear, flight or fight etc. Our job is to stay calm so that we are activating the thinking part of the brain.

2. Get the facts. Don't assume anything, get the real facts. A common occurrence, when problems happen is that we don't actually have the facts. Jumping to conclusions and panic is what generally happens to weak people. The way to stay calm and to get the facts is to ask questions. Leaders are listeners. Asking questions is what leaders do. Withholding judgment until all the facts have been digested is an important skill.

3. Take responsibility. This calms a leader down. "I'm responsible. I'm a leader and my job is to stay calm and solve problems," is key phrase to repeat. Refuse to complain or throw a pity party. What is done is done. Refuse to criticize others. Assume that people have the best of objectives. People make mistakes and things go wrong sometimes'it's just the way it is. When we are critical of others we shut down the thinking part of the brain and began to act of out emotion such as angry or resentment. Even if we didn't do anything to cause this particular problem we can still take responsibility for how we respond. A leaders role is to keep cool, stay calm and in control.

4. Remain Confident. As human beings, we have all the tools and intelligence to handle any and all problems that arise. We are not given a problem that we can't solve. Demonstrate confidence at all times. There is a rule out there that says that your people are a direct reflection of you. Our people are always watching and mirroring us. When we are calm they stay calm. If we stress out then they will stress out. Act as if the successful result is already assured, even if on the inside we feel some fear or insecurity.

5. Unleash Creativity. Ask, "How?" How will we solve this issue?" How is it possible to get through this?" The brain can only answer questions that are asked. Utilize this: Take a piece of paper and with your team ask the question, 'How can we solve this problem?' It is critical to get others involved in the process. 'We can do more of this or we can do less of that'' Be solution oriented at all times. Those that are weak place blame on others. They focus on what doesn't work or someone's fault. Only focus on what can be changed and ignore those things that can't be.

6. Concentrate on Priorities. Hold it. Stop. Time out. Remember to keep the main thing the main thing. What is most important? Who are the key people to get on board? Slow down and focus on the most important thing that can be done. Concentrate on stopping the bleeding. Keep asking, 'What is the most valuable thing that I can do right now?"

7. Counter Attack. Go on the offensive. Stop. Think. Get the facts and get to work. See the key people. Talk to the players that need to be talked to. Make the phone calls. Attend the meetings. Stay action oriented. Action is one of the main things we can to do maintain control and our personal power. As we take action then we get feedback to self-correct and take more action. The more active we are the more ideas we get and more action can be taken.

Crunch time is inevitable. There will always be challenges, problems and crises. The only question is how well we perform under those circumstances. If we perform well in crunch time then we will be true leaders and lead an inspired life.

Ian Fitzpatrick has lead and built numerous organizations. He is considered a master at developing leaders and has helped hundreds of people realize their goals. He wrote this article on Leadership to serve as a blueprint. Ian also teaches those in the MLM and direct sales industry how to succeed at a high level by generating 50-100 highly qualified prospects daily with his MLM Training Secrets.