Nothing…

Leadership is all about integrity.

The alpha and omega of leadership is ever increasing integrity. Think this is easy? Think again. Lead anything and you’ll see the lack of integrity all ’round you. Only the best see their own integrity gaps. Only the best of the best beat themselves silly closing ’em down with discipline and a vengeance. They do not accept excuses from their team because they do NOT make excuses for themselves. No excuses starts with the leader.

These leaders are tough and tender with their team because they’ve been hard as hell on themselves, first. Leaders, the ones worth following that is, align behaviors with beliefs. They change behaviors that are out of alignment – not the other way around. No excuses. None. Rationalizing bad behavior away is the recipe for losing influence. Most leaders swallow the rationalizing pill without so much as noticing. The team sees. The team sees and sends it all around so others see as well. The leader cannot be trusted. The team rushes to judge – they’re just too scared to say it. Instead, they hold a little in reserve. They hold back a bit from their best. This leader just lost a teeny, tiny, bit of influence. No bigee, huh.

Think again. What is leadership without influence? 

Nothing…