Growing Through Continuous Improvement

Recently I gave a speech to an insurance and financial services company. The owners asked me to speak on leadership and to challenge their staff on what they wanted to “be” in 2014.

It was an interesting topic, and the owners are very interesting people. They take their team through two books each year, with various directors and managers leading discussions as they traverse through each chapter. Many of the works they use are best sellers in the business world, but all are selected because they help employees become better people and more professional in their trade.

I marveled at the commitment this firm has to continuing education for their staff, and wondered why more companies don’t do the same. I concluded that it is really up to the ownership, that is, their focus and dedication on helping their team take the company to the next level.

When owners of businesses exhibit this kind of leadership, it becomes contagious. Employees get in the habit of continuous improvement, both personally and professionally. Not every person in the company loves the process. Some simply leave because the focus on growth is not for them. Others are asked to leave because they just don’t fit the culture of the firm.

So I ask a simple question: How are you doing with your company? Are people growing? Are you growing? If you need some help, let me know.

Leaders Are Achievers

Leaders are achievers. They constantly improve and innovate as a result of being propelled by their own initiative. They seek to understand themselves, they accept responsibility for their actions, and they reflect on their experiences. Frankly, leaders are ordinary people who achieve extraordinary results. They have something to prove – often to themselves and perhaps to others – and that need to prove, that drive to succeed, that compulsion to achieve, is what sets them apart.

Leaders, then, are not just learners and growers; they are achievers of a high order. They know how important leadership is to their business, and to society and our culture. They take their role seriously because they understand the kind of impact they can have on others. Leading is a high calling. Leaders never take their call for granted.

Here are a few Business & Life Tips to think about…..

Business Tips:

• If you do more than is expected, you will ultimately gain more in return. The reward is seldom immediate, but always worth the effort.
• The most important tool in marketing is what you name something, be it a business, product, service, or new venture.
• It’s hard, but we all need to learn to say no to opportunities that really aren’t for us. Not every opportunity has your name on it.

Life Tips:

• We aren’t born to do one thing or another. We develop talents based on our interests, and fit them into our God-given gifts.
• Self-centered people are insecure and often blinded by pride and arrogance. They are rarely happy about others’ successes.
• Want to accomplish a lot in life? Then begin with the end in mind. Consider how much time you have and work backwards.

Tags: Achieve, Advice, Business, Business Development, Business Tips, Change, Determination, Developing Leaders, Leadership, Leadership Excellence, Leadership Skills, Life Tips, Personal Development, Project Leaders, Responsibility, Success, The Mind of a Leader