In Honor of Black History Month: 7 Lessons of Leadership from Black Leaders

Ever since I was a student in elementary school, I have always had the wonderful opportunity to participate in a variety of amazing Black History Month programs. These programs help us to celebrate our culture and remember the leaders and ancestry of our past which has enabled us to have the privileges that we possess today. Although many African Americans will be at the fore front of these Black History Month celebrations throughout our nation, I personally believe that it's extremely important that every American embrace this amazing time of year. The primary reason why I feel so strongly about this is because like several other cultures within our nation, the African American culture has been a key ingredient to the success, prosperity, and advancement of our nation. To help us all celebrate this amazing time of the year, I would like to provide you with seven leadership lessons that we can all learn from past and present leaders within the African American culture.

Leadership Lesson #1
Dr. King teaches us that Great Leaders Create DREAMS Bigger than THEMSELVES

There are several incredible things we can learn from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as a leader, but one of the greatest lessons that I have learned from Dr. King over my lifetime is that great leaders not only create big dreams and visions, but they create and pursue visions and dreams that are bigger than themselves. In essence, there focus is not just about self, it's about the present and future generation of people. As leaders, let us all embrace this amazing leadership quality of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Leadership Lesson #2
Rosa Parks teaches us that Great Leaders make an IMPACT because they have COURAGE

There were several men and women who were instrumental during the Civil Rights movement, but one of the reasons I personally believe we celebrate the life of Rosa Parks is because she had the courage to stand up for what she believed regardless of the outcome. In essence, she was able to make an impact because she did not let fear, danger, or negative threats stop her from standing up for what was right. As leaders, it is important that we have the courage to stand for what we believe is right and embrace the amazing leadership qualities of Rosa Parks.

Leadership Lesson #3
George Carver teaches us that Great Leaders must have Personal Responsibility

George Washington Carver has done so many positive things for our nation as a leader, but one of the most powerful quotes that I heard him say was, 99% of failure is because of excuses that people make. In essence, a leader that created peanut butter and several other useful things from the peanut stated that most people fail to obtain success because they are always making excuses for something. As leaders, it is not only important that we take personal responsibility, but it's extremely critical that we focus on the things we can change verses developing a variety of different reasons why we cannot get something accomplished as a leader.

Leadership Lesson #4
Harriett Tubman teaches us that Great Leaders make huge sacrifices for the people they SERVE

Harriet Tubman is not only an amazing woman but also courageous, strong, powerful, and a great leader. Although I can use her life to paint the picture of several qualities that we must all possess as leaders in the 21st Century, one of the greatest things that stand out to me about her life is the fact that she was willing to put her life on the line for the people she served as a leader. In essence, daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly Ms. Tubman made sacrifices and put her life on the line for the people she served. As leaders, it is extremely important that we are willing to make sacrifices and go the extra mile for the people we serve as leaders.

Leadership Lesson #5
Frederick Douglass teaches us that adversity, rejection, and challenges are perquisites of GREAT LEADERSHIP.

There are several amazing lessons that we can learn from Frederick Douglass, but one of the greatest lessons that I have learned is, "Without Struggle, there is NO PROGRESS". In essence, Frederick Douglass teaches us that struggle is not only a part of leadership, but without it, you will not reach the progression that each of us can experience when we have the right perspective on challenges, failure, adversity, and rejection. As leaders, let us embrace the leadership lesson of Frederick Douglass by seeing every negative circumstance or challenge as a step closer towards reaching our fullest potential as leaders of the 21st Century.

Leadership Lesson #6
Malcolm X teaches us that Great Leaders must be educated if they desire to succeed in the future.

As you might know, there are several great leadership lessons that we can learn from Malcolm X. One of the greatest lessons I have learned from him is stated in one of his quotes which says, "Education is a passport to success in the Future". In essence, in order to be a great leader, it is important that we have vision, character, courage, and resilience, but it's critical that we are well-educated in our area of expertise. As leaders, let us embrace the leadership lessons of Malcolm X by making sure that we obtain the education, training, development, and expertise required to become a great leader of the 21st Century.

Leadership Lesson #7
President Obama teaches us that Great Leaders believe and pursue the Impossible

Like most of the leaders listed, there are several leadership qualities that we can obtain from President Obama. One of the greatest leadership lessons which stands out to me about President Obama is the fact that he had the faith to believe in doing something that had never been done before. In essence, not only was their never a black president in American History, but what President Obama did was something most people in America probably thought would never happen. Yet, because of President Obama's belief in the overcoming the impossible, he now sits as the first African American President in US History. As leaders, let us embrace this type of attitude that President Obama exemplifies as a leader so that we can create and do things that have never been done in American History.

As you know, there are several more leaders that can be mentioned in this month's newsletter, but these are just a few leadership lessons and things we can learn about from the amazing African American leaders of our past and present. Let us all embrace these wonderful lessons and give thanks for the amazing men and women that are communities and entire nation have been blessed with throughout the years.

DO YOU HAVE THE HEART OF A CHAMPION?

A few months ago, my friend and I were having an in-depth discussion about leadership. During our conversation, not only did I take some time to discuss my upcoming leadership presentation with him, but we both began to have an engaging discussion about some of the greatest leaders of all time. As you might imagine, we talked about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we talked about Nelson Mandela, we talked about Winston Churchill, we talked about Abraham Lincoln, we talked about Mahatma Gandhi, we talked about Mother Theresa, we talked about Susan B. Anthony, we talked about Jesus Christ, we talked about Cesar Chavez, we talked about the Dali Lama, and we talked about several other influential national and world leaders that have really made a tremendous impact in the world.

Essentially, after having this intriguing discussion on leadership, we both agreed that although some of the greatest leaders of all time were rejected by others, were not the richest people in the world, were not the most popular people in the world, were not the most beautiful people in the world, were not the smartest people in the world, were not the greatest communicators in the world, were not the best dressed people in the world, and were not always the popular leadership choice during their time, they were all able to succeed as leaders because each of these men and women had the heart of a champion on the inside. In essence, their heart for great leadership and making an impact in the world on the inside was so powerful that it enabled them to make an impact in the world regardless of their position, charisma, likability, financial state, or challenge.

Like these great leaders, if we are going to really become great leaders of the 21st Century and make an impact in the world, not only is it essential that we have the necessary leadership skills to succeed, but we must have the heart of a champion. According to Jaren Davis, an author and speaker, having the heart of a champion is being someone that pushes beyond their fears, truly believes in themselves and breaks through any roadblocks or obstacles that attempt to stop them from accomplishing their goals in life. In essence, according to Jaren Davis, not only does having the heart of a champion separate the good from the great, but leaders that have the heart of a champion are people who are courageous enough to pursue things that may seem impossible or risky to the average individual.

Personally, not only do I agree with Jaren Davis, but I strongly believe there are some other key characteristics that great leaders must possess in order to have the heart of a champion as well. For instance, leaders who desire to have the heart of a champion like the great leaders of our past must have a heart that is willing to make sacrifices for others, they must have a heart that authentically loves the people they serve, they must have a heart that is committed to doing the right thing regardless of the situation or circumstance, they must have a heart that believes in the power of humility, they must have a heart to see the people that they are leading succeed, and they must have a passion to make their community, nation and world a better place.

Essentially, after having this in-depth discussion about leadership with my friend, we both learned that if we are going to become great leaders in our generation, we must possess the essential inner qualities of great leadership that are required, we must embrace the unpopular characteristics of leadership, and we must have a passion on the inside that will not allow us to continue living life without making an impact in the world.

As you prepare yourself for the next level of leadership in 2011, the question you should ask yourself is, "Do you have the heart of a champion as a leader?"

How Political Leaders Can Reach Young Voters during the Mid-Term Elections

In the next few months, congressional and senate leaders throughout the entire country are going to be in the beginning stages of key political races in cities and states all across the nation for the Mid-Term Elections in November of 2010. Although many senators and congressional leaders will probably succeed at holding their seats, there will be several battles in key areas throughout the country between Democrats and Republicans.

Due to President Obama’s huge success with young voters in the Presidential Election back in November of 2008, there is a great chance that many congressional and senate leaders will be looking for this same type of impact from young voters in the upcoming 2010 Mid-Term Elections. Based on my observations of the younger demographic over the past few years, in order to duplicate success with young voters, there are seven key things that these congressional and senate leaders must do in order to win over and inspire this younger demographic in the 2010 Mid-Term Elections like President Obama did in the 2008 Presidential Election.

Understand that Young Voters Have Just As Much Power Now As They Did in 2008

In 2008 about 23 million young people, an increase of 3.4 million over 2004, accounted for almost two-thirds of the overall 5.4 million increase in voter turnout according to the Huffington Post. In 2010, not only will you have a good portion of this same demographic of people engaged with the political process, but there will be more young men and women that were not able to vote in 2008 that are now able to vote in 2010, which means this demographic voting power will likely be even stronger in the 2010 Mid-Term Elections.

Develop Trust with Young Voters

Although President Obama was effective at reestablishing the trust between politicians and young voters, the reality is that many young men and women still have a negative perception of political leaders. And, unlike past generations, the one thing that can destroy a politician' s success with this younger demographic is to be seen as someone who lacks integrity and trustworthiness. So, whatever political party a congressional or senate leader represents, it’s not only extremely important to develop trust with the younger demographic, but it’s extremely important to keep that trust as well.

Provide a New Vision of Change

In the 2008 Presidential Election, one of the key things that President Obama did very well with the younger demographic was to create a powerful vision of change that was fresh, unique, inspiring, and appealing to young men and women in America. The key thing for political leaders to understand about this younger demographic in the upcoming 2010 Mid-Term Elections is that a message of change will only be powerful if it’s a fresh new vision that consists of solutions and strategies that really resonate with the men and women of the younger demographic.

Connect with Young People

One of the key reasons why President Obama was able to impact younger voters in the 2008 Presidential Elections was because he was able to connect with them very effectively. In essence, President Obama did not just speak to young voters, but he visited their student governments, built positive relationships, and really connected with them in a favorable manner. For political leaders that desire to succeed with this younger demographic in the upcoming 2010 Mid-Term Elections, it’s not only essential for these leaders to speak to young voters, but it’s crucial that they connect with young voters as well on a personal level.

Speak to the Issues of Young Voters

Before the primary elections even began a couple of years ago, I knew that President Obama would be the candidate that would resonate with young voters the most if he decided to run for office. Ironically, this insight was not based on his personality, but it was based on his political stance on a variety of different issues. In essence, although President Obama was cool, personable, and favorable in the eyes of young voters, it was his political beliefs that really allowed him to win the hearts of the young voters in America. In the upcoming 2010 Mid-Term Elections, not only is it essential that political leaders connect with young voters, but it’s vitally important that they speak to the issues that really concern young voters the most right now in America.

Empower and Inspire the People

Anyone that followed the 2008 Presidential Elections knows that President Obama was not just an amazing speaker, but he was highly effective at moving crowds and inspiring them into action as a speaker. His strong ability to inspire and empower audiences through his powerful speeches not only helped him win the Presidential Election, but it helped him separate himself from other politicians as well. This inspirational and empowering skill set as a speaker is not only a positive attribute for any political leader to possess, but it’s literally a key skill set that can really help any political leader become more effective at reaching the younger demographic, because studies have shown that many young men and women are drawn to leaders who are able to effectively inspire and empower them for success! So, if political leaders want to be effective in the 2010 Mid-Term Elections with young voters, they must be able to effectively inspire and empower them!

Maximize Technology Use

Political experts suggest that President Obama was effective with young voters during the 2008 Presidential Election because he was the most tech savvy candidate with his campaign. Although I agree that President Obama did use technology effectively in the 2008 General Election, I do not believe that is the primary reason he was able to win the election, because I thought other presidential candidates used technology effectively as well. However, the one thing we can learn from the 2008 Presidential Election is that the effective use of technology is a requirement in the 21st Century, and it is a valuable tool to reach and engage the younger demographic.

Although there will be so many other factors that can impact the influence of young voters in the upcoming 2010 Mid-Term Elections, these are seven key things that any potential candidate must possess in order to effectively reach the younger demographic like President Obama!

WHAT MAKES A GREAT PRESIDENT?

Over the past few weeks, one of the subjects that has been most compelling to me is what actually makes a president great. In essence, after the elections are completed and the votes are counted, what makes the president of the United States, the president of a non-profit organization, the president of a business, the president of a college, the president of an association, or the president of a student body great?

According to William F. Buckley, the famous political commentator and author, “There aren’t any good presidents of the United States because the office of presidency is so staggeringly complicated that nobody, nobody, can be a good president.”

Although I agree that the office of presidency of the United States is an extremely challenging and complicated position, I do believe that there can be a good president and that there is a quantifiable difference between a good and a bad president. And, even though a variety of circumstances, situations, or beliefs can affect our individual perspectives of what makes a good or a bad president, I believe there are some solid leadership qualities that all potential presidents at any level must possess in order to have the chance to become effective and successful. After careful observation and research, I have listed below ten leadership qualities that I personally believe every president must possess in order to succeed as the leader of any organization, business, association, or even a world nation!

Leadership Quality #1
CLEAR VISION

The first leadership quality that I believe all presidents must possess is a clear vision that allows people to fully understand the direction and path that the president is following. The reason why a clear vision is important for presidents is because it not only connects people to the leader and their vision, but it provides the blueprint for their success as well. So, if you ever decide to run for president, make sure you have a CLEAR VISION!

Leadership Quality #2
SELF CONFIDENCE

The second leadership quality that I believe all presidents must possess is self confidence. The primary reason why I believe all presidents must possess self confidence is because they will not only be forced to make tough decisions that not everyone will agree with, but they will also have to possess the confidence needed to stand up for their core values in the midst of adversity, as well as deal with the challenging obstacles that all presidents face at times. So, if you ever decide to run for president, make sure you have SELF CONFIDENCE!

Leadership Quality #3
STRONG DECISION MAKING SKILLS

The third leadership quality that I believe all successful presidents must possess is strong decision making skills, which can be defined as being able to solve problems based on sound judgment. One of the primary reasons why this skill set is so important for presidents is because presidents will likely be forced to make tough decisions that can determine the success of their organization, business, or enterprise, and they will have to make these decisions in short amounts of time. So, if you ever decide to run for president, make sure you have STRONG DECISION MAKING SKILLS!

Leadership Quality #4
ABILITY TO DEVELOP A POWERFUL TEAM OF EXPERTS

The fourth leadership quality that I believe all presidents must possess is the ability to develop a powerful team of experts to help support the vision of their business, organization, or enterprise. I believe this skill set is important for presidents to possess because not only does a strong team of experts help the president effectively carry out their mission successfully, but these members can often provide expertise in areas where the president may need help, these members can provide great insight or advice that the president may need, and these members can provide the support, honesty, and encouragement that every president will need at times. So, if you ever decide to run for president, make sure you have the ABILTY TO DEVELOP A POWERFUL TEAM OF EXPERTS!

Leadership Quality #5
STRONG CHARACTER

The fifth leadership quality that I believe all presidents must possess is strong character, which I define as doing what is required in the position you have been granted. For instance, if you’re the president of a business, you will need to make sure you carry out the requirements of that position to the highest level. If you’re the president of an organization on campus, make sure you live up to the expectations that you have promised the students that provided you with the opportunity to serve as president. The reason why I believe this leadership quality is so important is because great character not only enables you to serve as a great leader, but it provides the necessary qualities that will help you impact and influence the people you have been given the opportunity to lead. So, if you ever decide to run for president, make sure you have a STRONG CHARACTER!

Leadership Quality #6
PEOPLE COMPETENCE SKILLS

The sixth leadership quality that I believe all presidents must possess is people competence, which I define as understanding all different types of people and knowing how to connect, inspire, and bring the most out of these different types of people. So, if you ever decide to run for president, make sure you possess excellent PEOPLE COMPETENCE SKILLS!

Leadership Quality #7
COMPETENCE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL POSITION

The seventh leadership quality that I believe all presidents must possess is competence of the presidential position. In essence, I believe that anyone who desires to be the president of any business, organization, or enterprise should be competent and knowledgeable about the various responsibilities connected to the position they are striving to achieve. The primary reason why I believe this leadership quality is so important for presidents is because being competent and knowledgeable about the responsibilities required for the success of any organization, business, or enterprise is a prerequisite for effective leadership. So, if you ever decide to run for president, make sure you possess excellent COMPETENCE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL POSITION!

Leadership Quality #8
ABILITY TO DEAL WITH HUGE CHALLENGES AND OBSTACLES

The eighth leadership quality that I believe all presidents must possess is a strong ability to deal with huge challenges and obstacles. I believe this leadership quality is very important for presidents because every president will face challenges, every president will face huge obstacles, and every president will be required to solve and overcome the challenges that arise while they are in the specific presidential position. For instance, although President Obama was not the primary cause of many of the challenges and obstacles facing our nation right now, he is expected to solve and overcome our nation’s most challenging and biggest obstacles. And, just like President Obama, people will expect the same out of you as president of your organization, business, or enterprise. So, if you ever decide to run for president, make sure you possess a strong ABILITY TO DEAL WITH HUGE CHALLENGES AND OBSTACLES!

Leadership Quality #9
HEART FOR THE PEOPLE YOU SERVE

The ninth leadership quality that I believe all presidents must possess is a heart for the people they have the opportunity to serve. In essence, if a president is going to succeed within any organization, business, or enterprise, they must truly care about the well-being of the people they have been given the opportunity to serve. Presidents who possess a heart for the people most of the time, not only make a greater impact, but they gain greater support from the people that chose them as the president of their organization, business, or enterprise. So, if you ever decide to run for president, make sure you possess a HEART FOR THE PEOPLE YOU SERVE!

Leadership Quality #10
TIME FOR SELF REFLECTION

The tenth leadership quality that I believe all presidents must possess is time for self reflection, which is allocating time out of every day to reflect how well they have carried out their duties as president. The primary reason why I believe this leadership quality is so important for presidents is because not only does it provide time for the president to rest, make improvements, and grow as a leader, but it also provides the president with special time to really think about tough decisions they may have to make concerning the well-being of their organization, business, or enterprise. So, if you ever decide to run for president, make sure you possess TIME FOR SELF REFLECTION!

Obviously, there are many other leadership qualities that any president must possess in order to succeed as the leader of their respected organization, business, enterprise, student body, or nation, but these are ten solid leadership qualities that every person must think about as they move forward toward their goal of a presidential position.

WOULD SOMEONE CONSIDER YOU TO BE A RACIST LEADER?

Over the past few weeks, various college students from all over Southern California have been traveling to the campus of UC San Diego to protest against an event held by a few students from UC San Diego which they called "The Compton Cookout". "The Compton Cookout", according to various media sources, was a ghetto-themed party organized by a few fraternity students to mock Black History Month. Invitations for the event urged participants to wear chains, rapper style urban clothing, speak very loudly, bring gold teeth, wear cheap clothes, have nappy hair, and bring chicken, malt liquor, cheap beer, and purple sugar water. As you will discover online, if you go to you tube and type in "Compton Cookout", you will learn about how this event caused great division among the students on campus, affected the image of the university, and raised questions about the effectiveness of campus leadership.



Many people will conclude that the organizers of this event were racist, and in addition to this possibility, I would also conclude that these individuals lacked cultural competence as well, which can be defined as the ability to interact effectively with people of different cultures. In essence, it is very possible that these students acted the way they did because they did not really possess a positive perspective about African American culture, and they apparently did not know how to positively interact with members of the African American community.



Whether they were racist or simply culturally incompetent about the African American community, the reality is that if student leaders possess this type of mentality in the 21st Century, not only will they fail as successful leaders, but the image of their companies and organizations will be viewed in a negative manner. The reason why I feel this is so important for future leaders to understand is because various studies have revealed that not only will 50% of the workforce be minorities in 2050, but 85% of the new workforce will be made up of minorities, immigrants, and women.



In order to avoid unfortunate situations like the one that happened at UC San Diego, to destroy any thoughts of anyone perceiving you as a racist leader, and to succeed as an effective and inspirational leader in the 21st Century, it's not only crucial to possess cultural competence, but it's equally important to understand how to effectively lead a diverse group of people in a diverse world. To this end, I have listed below four key leadership principles that I believe will help both emerging and seasoned leaders become more effective at leading a diverse group of people in a diverse world.



Create An Inclusive Vision



In order to lead anyone effectively, you must have a vision. However, when you're leading a diverse group of people, it essential that you possess a vision, and it's important that your vision is big enough to include all of the people. In essence, you want to make sure that the vision created for your organization, company, or club can be something that a diverse group of people can support and believe in. Most great leaders who have impacted the world were able to execute this leadership concept very well.





Develop Cultural Competence



As emerging leaders of the 21st Century, it is vital that you possess people competence skills, and it's crucial that you possess cultural competence as well. According to various experts on this topic, the best ways to grow in cultural competence as a leader are to identify any personal stereotypes you may have of other cultures, learn about other cultures and recognize the value of other cultures, embrace the differences of other cultures, and commit towards maintaining a positive relationship with members of different cultures. If you can fully execute these steps, I am totally convinced that you will be more effective at leading a diverse group of people in a diverse world.



Be Courageous



Although we can talk about many different ways that courage enables men and women to serve as effective leaders, the reality is, if you're going to lead a diverse group of people in the 21st Century, you must be courageous. The reason why you must be courageous as a leader is because you may have to step out your comfort zone sometimes to understand others different from you, you will have to trust others different from you, you will have to stand up for diversity at times when others disagree with it, you will have to overcome the fears some people have concerning diversity, and you will have to be able to overcome any negative experiences you may have had with various cultures in the past. If you can act courageously in these areas, it will help you immensely as a leader of a diverse group of people in a diverse world.



Be Ethical



There are many definitions of ethical leadership, but the definition I prefer the most is that ethical leadership is leading with values such as integrity, honesty, trustworthiness, equality, fairness, and compassion for others. In essence, it's being a person of your word, it's being someone others can trust, it's being a fair person, it's being someone who believes in equality, and it's being someone that cares about others. The reason why this is so important for leaders who desire to lead in a diverse world is because if you are viewed as an unethical leader, it will be almost impossible for someone that is different from you to believe in you. So, if you are going to become an effective leader of a diverse group of people in a diverse world, make sure you are ethical.



These four key leadership principles are just some of the leadership qualities that will help leaders effectively lead a diverse group of people in a diverse world.

Leading in Turbulent Times

Over the past year, one of the most popular themes in various leadership discussions across the country has been "Leading in Turbulent Times". I believe this is a timely message for leaders that needs to be discussed in every professional industry, because most professionals in America are facing some sort of crisis within their respective career-fields.

Even though many leaders and individuals may be impacted immensely by the negativity that swirls around during times of crisis, the powerful thing to understand about these times of crisis is that great leaders somehow always seem to emerge. For instance, during the Revolutionary War, George Washington emerged as a great leader, and during the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln emerged as a great leader. During the times of inequality for women in America, Susan B. Anthony emerged as a great leader, and during a tough moment at AOL Time Warner, Steve Case emerged as a great leader. During the years of inequality in America, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks emerged as great leaders, and during World War II, Winston Churchill emerged as a great leader full of courage and strength.

Essentially, people have always faced tough challenges and great crises, but it was during those turbulent times that powerful leaders rose to the top to help communities, organizations, and nations overcome the issues and problems that threatened our forward progress. As we go forward into the 21st Century, not only do I believe that great leaders throughout our ownnation will rise to the top to deal with different challenges and obstacles, but I believe we can be instrumental in the development of these leaders by providing solid insight and wisdom into how leaders can be effective during these turbulent times. For this week's newsletter, I want to provide you with six key things that leaders can do to be successful during these stages of crisis within their organizations, community, nation, and the world!

LEADERS MUST HAVE A TIME OF HONEST REFELCTION

Although truth is not something that people always want to hear, the reality is that there are certain challenges and obstacles in life that we will not be able to overcome unless we are honest with ourselves. And quite frankly, a lot of the problems facing our organizations, communities, and nation today are only going to be solved when leaders are honest about the mistakes they have made over the past five, ten, fifteen, and twenty plus years.

LEADERS MUST BE OPEN TO CHANGE

One of the main reasons why people are unable to overcome various challenges or obstacles in life is because they either are not open to change or they never make the necessary changes to get out of a bad situation. With the advancement of technology, the explosion of knowledge, the pace of change, and globalization within our nation, being open to change is not only essential, but it's one of the key prerequisites to overcoming the unique challenges and obstacles of the 21st Century.

LEADERS MUST BE SOLUTION-FOCUSED

During times of crisis and challenge, most people will focus on the problem and be consumed with all the negativity that surrounds the different problems within an organization, community, or nation. Although I do believe it's smart to identify the problem, in order to overcome the negative situation, it's essential that leaders focus on solutions to the problem rather than dwell too long on how bad the problem is. When you think about great leaders of the past, one primary reason why they succeeded was because they developed solutions to the problems that arose rather than allowing the problems to consume and destroy them.

LEADERS MUST HAVE A VISION BEYOND THE CHALLENGE

Throughout the entire country, one of the things I always tell every audience is that you will not succeed as the leader of any organization, company, or group if you do not have a vision. In essence, vision is the foundation for any great leader who desires to succeed. Ironically, this principle is even more important during times of crisis and challenge, because it's the vision that provides the hope, passion, direction, expectation, and strength needed to overcome the obstacles that attempt to destroy us in life.

LEADERS MUST HAVE COURAGE

Courage is essential during tough times because it takes courage to stand up and overcome fears, doubts, uncertainties, and various other negative situations that leaders may face during these rough times. Also, courage is essential during turbulent times because it takes courage to make tough decisions, take calculated risks, and bring about the change needed within an organization or company that may have a tradition of doing things a certain way for 50 plus years!

LEADERS MUST HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

I know we hear about the importance of having a positive attitude all the time, but it's essential that leaders possess this attitude during turbulent times, because most people probably will not have a positive attitude. When a leader possesses a positive attitude during challenging moments, it will not only impact the leader, but it have a huge affect on others that are positioned to support the leader during the tough moments within an organization, community, nation, or world as well!

There are definitely more key concepts that leaders can utilize during these turbulent times, but I strongly believe that these six key principles are essential in helping leaders emerge as great leaders during these challenging moments within their organizations, communities, nation, and the world!

Leadership Lessons we Can Learn from Michael Jordan

It was just approximately three to four weeks ago when Michael Jordan was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame. This special ceremony for Michael Jordan seemed to draw more interest from sports fans and experts across the country than usual because many basketball experts and fans alike consider Michael Jordan to be one of the greatest NBA players of all-time. Although this on-going debate among fans and experts about whether Michael Jordan is truly the greatest basketball player of all time will go on for many years to come, the one thing that many can agree upon is that Michael Jordan was a great leader on the basketball court. And like many of the great lessons of leadership we can learn from great leaders outside of the world of professional sports, I believe that there are seven key leadership principles that can be learned from Michael Jordan’s career that can help anyone in their specific area of expertise.

Leadership Lesson #1
Great Leaders Have a Championship Mentality

One of the most powerful attributes about Michael Jordan on the basketball court was the fact that he possessed a championship mentality. In essence, he not only knew what type of attitude he must possess in order to succeed in his area of expertise, but he knew how to apply that attitude and use it to his advantage on the basketball court. He provided insight into this championship mentality when he was quoted as saying, “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.”

Leadership Lesson #2
Great Leaders Have a Strong Work Ethic and Strive to Become Better Everyday

Although Michael Jordan was the greatest basketball player on the planet during his years in the NBA, he was still considered to be one of the hardest working athletes in professional sports and was known to strive to become better each and every year. The powerful lesson that we can learn from this great leadership attribute is that great leaders must have a strong work ethic and must always strive to become a little better each and every day!

Leadership Lesson #3
Great Leaders Have a Passion and Will to Succeed in Their Area of Expertise

One of the key things that people always talk about when it comes to Michal Jordan was his passion and will to succeed on the basketball court. In essence, regardless of how difficult the challenge or situation seemed, Michael Jordan had a passion and will to succeed on the court so strong that he was able to overcome many of the challenges and obstacles that attempted to stop his success. And like Michael, if we’re going to overcome the challenges and obstacles that we face as leaders on a daily basis, we must have a passion and will to succeed!

Leadership Lesson #4
Great Leaders Lead by Example

If there was one primary leadership concept that Michael Jordan utilized to help others succeed, it had to be his ability to lead by example. I mean, you had young kids throughout the entire country wanting to be like Michael Jordan because he was so effective at leading by example. As leaders, it’s not only essential that we tell others what is right or wrong, but it’s important that we show others what is right or wrong by our actions!

Leadership Lesson #5
Great Leaders Make Others around Them Better

Personally, I believe this is a leadership quality that Michael Jordan had to develop over the course of his career, but once he developed this leadership attribute, it not only helped him succeed on the court, but it enabled him to lead his team to win multiple championships. The lesson that we can learn from Michael Jordan in reference to this leadership principle is that making others around you better not only makes life easier for you as a leader, but it can be the very thing that elevates your career, organization, or company to the next level!

Leadership Lesson #6
Great Leaders Have the Courage to Deal with Tough Situations

One of the toughest situations a basketball player can face is to take the final shot of game when the outcome of the game is on the line. Michael Jordan not only had the courage to take that shot every time, but he was willing to be the person responsible for the loss if his shot did not fall. As leaders, if we are going to be great, we must have the courage to deal with and be responsible for the tough situations and circumstances that many people try to avoid!

Leadership Lesson #7
Great Leaders Always Have To Overcome Some Obstacle

Imagine this, one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history was cut from his sophomore basketball team in high school. In the midst of this horrible situation, Michael Jordan not only refused to give up on his dream of playing basketball, but he overcame the obstacles and used the challenge as fuel for his future success. As leaders, we are always going to face challenges that try to kill our dreams. Whatever you do, don’t give up, but use these very challenges as fuel to become that much better in the future!