Elements of Successful Leaders
By Clyde Lowstuter

Life in the year 2000 will be the same as it was in 1999 unless radical change occurs. In the new millennium, the name of the game will continue to be unrelentless, complex change. To create a sustainable competitive advantage, leaders must thrive, embrace, and even lead change. They must be nimble and adept at seizing new opportunities and be bold and courageous in developing leading-edge strategies. Progressive leaders must take a fresh perspective in reshaping and reinventing the way their organizations have traditionally operated. The fulcrum that gives balance and stability to intense, high-velocity change is radical commitment to outcomes.

The beginning of a new century is surely a time to evaluate what has been instrumental to success in the past, and how those elements of success can be enhanced to accomplish even more in the years ahead. Here are some of my keys to success for the year 2000 and beyond:

1. BE AUTHENTIC: Authenticity embodies genuineness, openness, and trust-being who you are…not hiding out, withholding, or playing "political" games. Authenticity shows up naturally when people are living fulfilled lives and following their passions. It means being real, honest, and congruent. Authentic people partner with their colleagues to help them achieve success. They know what drives them, and what stops them. Being authentic enables people to operate confidently, boldly, and enthusiastically without defensiveness, fear, or ego-driven behavior. It is our most powerful and influential self that is willing to be more optimistic, more competitive, and more willing to tackle new challenges.

2. KNOW YOUR OUTCOME AND BE COMMITTED TO ACHIEVING IT: "You get what you focus on!" I'm not sure who should be credited with this concept, but it is true. Its corollary comes from Napoleon Hill, "Whatever the mind of man can conceive, it can achieve." I strongly believe that aligning your thoughts, creative energy, imagination, and God-given talents, skills, and abilities can generate a powerful result, oftentimes, far greater than you can ever hope to dream. Be unwavering in your commitment to achieve your goals; don't allow yourself to be knocked off point by someone else's agenda if your outcome is just and true. What is it that you really, no kidding, want to achieve? What is your passion and your life's purpose? Why do you exist? What are you to contribute to those immediately around you in your personal and professional life?

3. DEVELOP PERSONAL INTENSITY AND A HIGH SENSE OF URGENCY: People who achieve significant results clearly know their core beliefs and are intense about them. They also possess a high degree of urgency about accomplishing their life's purpose. These people want to, have to, move the action forward. This burning desire to realize your outcome will help create the momentum you need to push beyond your self-imposed limits when it is inconvenient or uncomfortable. I often say, "Boldness, confidence, and enthusiasm are all contagious." Things get accomplished by those who are "contagious."

4. ADD VALUE TO OTHERS: Discover what others need and want and look for ways to assist others in pursuit of their goals. For if you clearly add value to others, are collaborative, and operate on an inter-dependent basis, you will have relationships in which you generate endorsement, support, and excitement for your ideas. As an added benefit, once you add value to others, your personal satisfaction will increase significantly and your actions will not be forgotten by others. By the way, it backfires when you remind others of their obligation to you. It actually creates the opposite of your desired effect, as it distances others from you, and it reveals that you really do not know how the Law of Reciprocity works.

5. REMAIN FLEXIBLE AND CONSTANTLY ADJUST YOUR COURSE: I owned a sailboat a number of years ago and loved to cruise on weekends, especially at night. The first truth of sailing is, it is never in a straight line nor is it fixed. Even with a definitive destination, one has to repeatedly tack, continually fine-tune the lines and sail positions, be vigilant regarding gusts of wind and other boats, and be respectful of large rolling waves, etc. "Expect the unexpected" is the Zen of sailing. So it is with our professional lives. As leaders, we are required to effectively manage ambiguity, adapt fluidly to our organization's needs, and create a challenging and supportive environment while keeping the business/personal outcome clearly in mind. As in sailing, to remain fixed on a given course of action will result in your running aground.

6. ACHIEVE A PROFESSIONAL/PERSONAL LIFE BALANCE: "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." Even the nursery rhyme had it right. Truly successful executives consciously work to create a balance between their professional and personal lives. That's not to say that professional colleagues can't and aren't personal friends, they oftentimes are. Bill White, former CEO of Bell & Howell, encouraged his officers to become volunteer leaders in a significant charity not related to their professional lives. Bill knew that giving back to society was personally rewarding and helped bring a bit of gentler, humane reality to the demanding workplace.

7. MAKE A DECISION, MANAGE THE DECISION, AND ENJOY THE PROCESS: Procrastination, being stuck, paralyzed with doubt or worry are all lousy decisions, even though folks often think they haven't made a decision. These are what I call non-productive decisions. They do not move the action forward and they perpetuate a person's current state of stagnation. We often have clients whose careers or career search efforts are clearly stalled, stuck, or derailing. They are waiting for divine intervention to occur in which something miraculous will materialize. A core belief we have at Robertson Lowstuter is that, "Everyone intends to do well; no one intends to fail, though there is often a disconnect between one's intentionality and one's behavior." Most of the non-productive decisions mentioned above stem from a desire to create a perfect decision or a perfect outcome. There is no such thing. So, the challenge is to collect enough data to make a well-informed decision and take action. Make a decision, manage the decision by monitoring the results, and enjoy the process while having abundant positive expectancy that things will work out great!

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