For many years we have been studying leadership, and it is the topic of development courses, books, workshops, keynote speeches, blogs, and so forth. Are leaders born or made? Who are our best examples of leadership? Is good leadership different today than twenty years ago? Who was a better leader: Lincoln or Patton?

We read the Harvard Business Review, participate in social media on the topic, belong to Mastermind Groups, and participate in forums to the point where the term "leadership" has almost become weak from overuse. I recently received a complimentary copy of "The Leadership Secrets of Santa Claus". Come on, people, how far is this going to go? How much longer will we exploit the topic of leadership while we change nothing in the places that really matter (Our governments, businesses, communities, and families)?

The fact remains that the more we study leadership, the fewer examples of great leadership we see. Are we simply more aware because bad leadership has been exposed recently, or are our leadership skills getting worse? Possibly both.

So, let's take this down to the simple truths about great leaders we have studied throughout history:

1. A Leader acknowledges something bigger than her and defers to it.
2. A Leader is a master communicator of the message, and knows he cannot lead where he will not go. All personal agendas are set aside for the good of the order. The cause is the leader's passion.
3. A leader is willing to serve by example: to suffer, persevere, build character, and maintain hope. The culture of the organization is a reflection of the character of the leader. She takes responsibility for it.
4. A leader is committed to ongoing self- development, learning, and improvement. The leader is a student.
5. A leader surrounds himself with skilled advisors, and others who will hold him accountable. He is a person who can be trusted to do what's right, taking into consideration his advisor's expertise.
6. A leader is willing to love and care for every person on her team, as a shepherdess tends her flock; and is never slow to let a non-performer (or enemy of the cause) go. She expects the best from everyone.

Two Major Cautions about leadership:

• Leaders are human so they are not perfect, and they need to remember that. (So do their followers, who should not put them on a pedestal, lest they will be disappointed.) We all fall short now and then.
• Leaders become more vulnerable to corruption as their power increases.

The higher the position, the more accountability they need. This is the opposite of what they are often willing to do, unfortunately.

A word about executive coaching:

The higher your position, the more you need an executive coach. Ideally, executive coaches should not to be hired to "fix" a problem (although that frequently is the case). Coaches are to be hired when the leader is well, whole and competent. To keep a brilliant leader fully engaged in her work, and keep her balance while producing record results, hire an executive coach to be on board. A leader without an executive performance coach alongside is asking for reduced performance and eventually burn-out or a fall. Don't wait until there is a problem before you hire a coach.

Copyright protected Julia Marrocco All rights reserved. Adapted by Sorrell Associates with permission.

Companies are constantly vying for "top talent," those candidates who possess the ability and skills needed to make them more productive and more profitable. What companies often fail to consider, though, is that talent is just half of the equation.

Yes, that's right ? talent is not enough. In fact, according to author and leadership guru John Maxwell, talent is never enough. (That, incidentally, is the title of his book on the subject.)

The other half of the equation is the person's desire, or whether or not they have the drive to be a high achiever. If they don't have that desire or that drive, talent is only going to take them ? and the company ? so far. They're not going to reach their full potential as an employee.

As a result, striving to hire "top talent" is a bit of a misnomer. At the very least, there should be a disclaimer attached to that statement. Rather, companies should search for "high-achieving top talent," since those are the types of employees who are more likely to reach their potential and push the company to new heights of achievement.

So . . . how do you find these employees? It's often difficult to discern the talented candidates from the talented, high-achieving ones. As a result, it's even more difficult to assemble an entire team of high achieving employees.

The answer lies, at least in part, in their lives outside of work. High Achievers are intrinsically motivated, which means their desire for accomplishment comes from within, not because of external motivators like raises and promotions. They want to achieve and be the best they can be simply because they enjoy doing so, and that kind of desire is reflected in all areas of their life . . . and not just at work.

So keep this in mind when you're looking for the best of the best. It could mean the difference between hiring talented employees who fail to reach their full potential and hiring those who exceed all expectations.

If you have any questions about this article, or about how we can help you with your current hiring needs, contact us.

Copyright protected, all rights reserved worldwide. © 2010 Gary Sorrell  

So how can you create that environment? Follow these 3 easy steps:

1. Focus on catching people doing things "right" instead of only saying something when they make a mistake. When you see someone helping a coworker or going the extra mile for a customer give them praise.
2. Start a "Wins" board. Create a poster board with all the employees names on it, with columns & dates. When someone does a positive thing, mark it on the board. Keep this board visible for all employees to see.
3. Eventually annualize the "Wins." If an employee comes up with an idea that reduces costs, put a value to it and annualize the savings. Then write it on the board, put it in your company newsletter, and send them a "Thank You" card or note.

At first it may seem hard to find someone doing things right, mostly because we are not focused on that type of behavior. However, after a couple of days, you will start to see those positive actions more frequently and the attitudes of everyone become more positive.

IMPORTANT: Do not start a "Wins" board and not keep it up to date. It is demoralizing for your staff.

Copyright protected worldwide. Gary Sorrell - Sorrell Associates, LLC

The Old Year has gone. Let the dead past bury its own dead. The New Year has taken possession of the clock of time. All hail the duties and possibilities of the coming twelve months!
~ Edward Payson Powell

Opportunities? They are all around us... There is power lying latent everywhere waiting for the observant eye to discover it.
~ Orison Swett Marden

A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don't necessarily want to go but ought to be.
~ Rosalynn Carter