The five little letters that make a difference in leadership

When it comes to leadership, you can move from ordinary to extraordinary by concentrating on the five "extra" letters, and by choosing to do the "extra" things other people choose not to do. But as John Maxwell tells us, they don't have to be big things in order to make that difference.

Doing that has the power to transform common, usual. boring, normal, and average into amazing, incredible, uncommon, special, and above average.

The difference seperating the two is more often exagerated in our minds than it is in action or performance. Sometimes what we perceive as a miniscule seperation in execution can actually be monumental in term of results. John uses the example of the elapsed time of an Olympic champion over his nearest competitor to show the difference between wearing the Gold Medal and not. Can the slightest of margins change your ordinary life to become extraordinary?

What are the little “extras” that can help you make that change? How about effort, or time, or even help.

In fact, according to John, if ordinary people would put out a little more effort, or invested a little more time, and even, and especially, when the situation called for it, sought out a little more help from those they want to emulate, they have a real possibility of becoming extraordinary, and traveling a little faster on the road to success. Remember, the distance between ordinary and extraordinary is measured in a tea cup, not a wine barrel.

For more wisdom from John, read his book, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.

View the original article here

Workin' Together Creates Teamwork

I'm a piano player, and someone sent me this video, which I enjoyed watching. 
As I watched it, not only as a musician, but as someone training and leading an organization, I realized that it could also be a demonstration of teamwork.  Whether you're playing the bottom of the piano or the top, you have to be aware of what the other is doing so you can be in sync or rhythm  together.    In much the same way, developing teamwork within your organization is like that, and provides rewards  in several different ways.
1. If everyone is focused on the same goal, good things happen.  Everyone is on the same page. 
2. The relationship of each one's efforts to the overall effectiveness of the team or organization becomes apparent.
3. A sense of community or belonging is created.
Every one brings different strengths and qualities to the table.  As leaders of our organizations, the relationships, training and example we set will determine our success.  True, attaining that synergy is sometimes like "herding cats" as Jim Rohn once said.  But if you can accomplish it, it's a beautiful thing.