Fundamentals to Advance

True leadership begins with serving. No role, position, job, task, or calling of leadership can be effective unless there is first a willingness to serve. Proper serving in leadership begins with a proper attitude. Be attentive to the concerns of others, empathize with them, and nurture them. Put yourself last and commit to helping others.

Ask questions, not just the right questions, but ALL questions. Don’t assume anything. Gather the data. Get the facts. There is always more to every story. Gathering all the facts and being curious about what other information might give you a more complete picture will help you make better decisions on how to proceed.

Every conversation, phone call, email, letter, and even voicemail, sets a tone and creates a feeling. Pay attention to every interaction and be sure you’re setting a professional tone of friendliness, warmth, and helpfulness.

Take personal responsibility for making things happen – somehow, someway. Respond to every situation by looking for how we CAN do it rather than explaining why it can’t be done. Be resourceful and show initiative.

Apply your creativity, spirit, and enthusiasm to developing solutions rather than pointing fingers and dwelling on problems. Identify lessons learned and use those lessons to improve our processes so we don’t make the same mistake again. Get smarter with every mistake. Learn from every experience.

Speak honestly in a way that moves the action forward. Make clear and direct requests. Say what you mean, and be willing to ask questions, share ideas, or raise issues that may cause conflict when necessary for team success. Address issues directly with those who are involved or affected.

It’s not about you. Don’t let your ego or personal agenda get in the way of doing what’s best for the team. Worrying about who gets credit or taking things personally is counterproductive. Make sure every decision is based solely on advancing company goals.

Be an example to those around you. Behave as if the whole world is watching because they usually are. Your actions speak louder than your words, so be intentional in all you do and live purposefully.

Demonstrate an unwavering commitment to doing the right thing in every action you take and every decision you make, even when no one is looking. Always tell the truth. If you make a mistake, own up to it, apologize, and make it right.

Take pride in the quality of everything you touch and everything you do. Always ask yourself, “Is this my best work?” Everything you touch has your signature. Sign in bold ink.

Work from the assumption that people are good, fair, and honest, and that the intent behind their actions is positive.
Set aside your own judgments and preconceived notions. Give people the benefit of the doubt.

Do the little things, as well as the big things, that blow people away. Create extraordinary experiences they’ll tell others about. Mere customer satisfaction is for lesser companies. Create customer loyalty by doing the unexpected.

People expect us to respond to their questions and concerns quickly, whether in person, on the phone, or via email. This includes simply acknowledging that we got the question and we’re “on it,” as well as keeping those involved continuously updated on the status of outstanding issues. Rapid response is one of the easiest and best ways to stand out from the crowd.

There’s no better way to earn people’s trust than to be true to your word. Do what you say you’re going to do, when you say you’re going to do it. This includes being on time for all phone calls, appointments, meetings, and promises. Allow extra time for surprises and delays, and don’t let these become excuses.

Create clarity and avoid misunderstandings by discussing expectations upfront. Establish mutually understood objectives and deadlines for all projects, issues, and commitments. Where appropriate, confirm your communication by asking others to repeat back their understanding to ensure total clarity and agreement.

Listening is more than simply “not speaking.” Be present and engaged. Quiet the noise in your head and let go of the need to agree or disagree. Create space for team members to express themselves without judgment. Listen with care and with empathy. Above all, listen to UNDERSTAND.

Know your audience. Write and speak in a way they can understand. Avoid using internal lingo, acronyms, and industry jargon. Use the simplest possible explanations.

Listen for, and pay attention to, the things that make people unique. Use handwritten notes, personal cards, and timely phone calls to acknowledge their specialness. Show people you care about them as individuals rather than as transactions. Genuine compassion can’t be faked.

Be willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish the job, plus a little more. Take the next step to solve the problem. Even if it takes doing something that’s not in your job description, it’s the extra mile that separates the average person from the superstar. Be a superstar.

It’s a two-way street. Learn to think from others’ perspectives. Discover what they need and find a way to help them meet those needs while also fulfilling your own. Win-win solutions are always more effective and longer-lasting than win-lose solutions.

Catching people doing things right is more effective than catching them doing things wrong. Regularly extend MEANINGFUL acknowledgment and appreciation – in all directions throughout the company.

Record a follow-up date for every action and take responsibility to see that it gets completed. We get paid to COMPLETE things, not simply to put them in motion.

While effort is appreciated, we reward and celebrate RESULTS. Set high goals, use measurements to track your progress, and hold yourself accountable for achieving those results.

Regardless of the quality of your work, if you can’t manage multiple issues, tasks, and promises, you won’t be a superstar. Maintain a clean and orderly work area. Use an effective task management system for prioritizing and tracking outstanding issues and responsibilities.

In all situations, do what’s best for the customer, even to our detriment. There’s no greater way to build a reputation than to steadfastly do what’s right for others, every day.

Solve problems BEFORE they happen by anticipating future needs and addressing them in advance. Preventing issues is always more effective than fixing them.

World-class organizations are built on a foundation of highly effective, repeatable processes. Look to create processes for every aspect of your work, and then turn those processes into habits to achieve consistent results.

Don’t accept anything at “face value” if it doesn’t make sense to you. Be curious and question what you don’t understand. Healthy, vigorous debate creates better solutions. There’s no better question than “Why?” Never stop asking it.

Regularly reevaluate every aspect of your job to find ways to improve. Don’t be satisfied with the status quo. “Because we’ve always done it that way” is not a reason. Keep getting better.

From the spelling of a client’s name to the colors on a logo, from what someone is passionate about to where they live… details matter. Be a fanatic about accuracy and precision. Double-check your work. Get the details right.

Remember that the world has bigger problems than daily challenges that make up our work. Stuff happens. Keep perspective. Don’t take things personally or take yourself too seriously. Laugh every day.