No matter what position you now hold, you can acquire and use leadership skills to stand out and move forward. Here is how a successful football coach did it. Combine his rules with the results of the research study I’ve written about and you’ll have the foundation for a successful career.
Inspire Great Performance Bill Parcells has led three amazing football team turnarounds and is working on a fourth. Here are some of the rules he has developed over the years that have contributed to his success:
Rule #1: Be the leader from Day One. When you assume a leadership position, you’re the leader. Don’t waste time trying to earn your leadership position; impose it. Parcells learned that lesson the hard way. In his first season coaching the New York Giants, Parcells was too tentative with his players, and the team continued its losing ways.
Without a replacement for Parcells the following season, management asked him back. This time, with nothing to lose, Parcells began by telling team members that the goal was to winperiod. Anyone who didn’t make the changes required to win would be cut. They won.
Rule #2: Don’t be afraid to confront. Be absolutely clear with people and confront problems head-on. Confrontation doesn’t mean putting people down. Place every criticism in a positive context. Parcells frequently tells players: “I don’t think you’re playing up to your potential; you can do better.” He also emphasizes their shared goals: “It’s in your best interest that you succeed, and it’s in my best interest that you succeed. We really want the same thing.”
Rule #3: Set small goals and hit them. When a team is at the bottom of the standings, it’s hard for anyone to imagine winning. An immediate, early challenge helps build a culture of success. Begin by setting small, visible goals. As people begin reaching them, they begin to believe that they really can succeed and win. And they do.
Research Study: Are Leaders Really Salespeople In Disguise? A recent study found that the best leaders have more in common with salespeople than with managers. It compared the characteristics of 293 presidents and CEOs with the profiles of 1,470 superior managers and 629 top salespeople.
The entrepreneurial leader is truly a salesperson on a broader scale. Whether pitching an idea to an important client, negotiating a strategic relationship, persuading a key employee to take on a new challenge or pulling out all the stops for a pre-IPO roadshow, CEOs and other top leaders embody many of the characteristics of top level salespeople.
Both groups enjoy the challenge of tasks that require discipline, structure, diligence and detail. If a senior leadership position is in your future, consider these findings from the study:
** Managers focus on results; leaders know results are achieved through people.
** Managers are implementers; leaders are initiators.
** Managers command through their position; leaders inspire by making great ideas come alive.
** Managers have opinions; leaders help form opinions.
** Managers are followed because they’re the boss; leaders are followed because we believe in them.
Leadership is part personality and part skill. You can acquire both through reading and studying your role models. How do others do it? How do they handle challenges? How do they work with others?
Make this information a part of your skill set – keep challenging yourself with “stretching goals” – put it all together for success!
Kathleen OConnor is the owner of the OConnor Success System which provides professional growth programs for managers and entrepreneurs. To access our free resources, visit our website at http://www.OconnorSuccessSystem.com You can sign up there for your free 4-part mini-course on communication skills and a free subscription to our monthly e-zine, The Edge.
