[Tweet “Do you believe that you are capable of leading at a higher level?”]

When I was recently asked to name one thing, that has kept me focused and guided my decisions for years, I shared this quote:

“Control is not leadership; management is not leadership; leadership is leadership. If you seek to lead, invest at least 50% of your time in leading yourself—your own purpose, ethics, principles, motivation, conduct. Invest at least 20% leading those with authority over you and 15% leading your peers.”

— Dee Hock
Founder and CEO Emeritus, Visa

When I dive into that quote this is what I see…

• Power hungry control freaks are not leaders.  They are insecure people that don’t trust themselves or anyone else and live in fear. 
• Managing a process is not the same as leading people to be the very best they can be and to contribute to the organization at the highest possible level.

The power in the quote and the place that I focus – as if it were the “Secret Sauce for Leadership Success”is in the second half.

• When I am deeply invested in developing myself (at least 50% of the time) I am tapped into an endless well of wisdom and creativity that comes from people that are wiser and more experienced than I am. 
• And that wisdom gives me insight that the people on all sides of me need.  (Up, down, sideways…)

Here’s the bonus:

When I build relationships with the people around me and share what I’m learning, it magnifies the learning in me AND increases my leadership influence with them!    

Now back to that your fire in YOUR belly…  What are you doing to lead yourself?

• Are you purchasing leadership material and studying it. (Not just reading it.) …Deeply studying, reflecting, applying, re-reading, re-examining…? 
• Are you looking for and applying lessons that are all around you every day?  At home, on your drive to work, at the office, at the diner you had lunch in, at the game you attended this weekend, in the movie you took your loved ones to, from the song that is playing on your iPod?
• Are you sharing and debating what you are learning with your family?  …Your team?  Your leaders?  Your peers?

Looking for books to start with?  

I own hundreds of books and have found something of value in nearly every one, however, the books below are the ones that have fueled my fire from early on.  They are the ones that I’ve gained the most from, and are the ones I continually refer to.  

They are listed in priority order from the bottom (the foundation) up.

• 11. Jesus CEO by Laurie Beth Jones
• 10. Life@Work by John Maxwell
• 9.  Self Leadership and The One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard, Susan Fowler, and Laurence Hawkins
  
• 8.  Death by Meeting by Patrick Lencioni
• 7.  Silos, Politics, and Turf Wars by Patrick Lencioni
• 6.  Beep!  Beep!  Competing In The Age of The Road Runner by Chip R. Bell and Oren Harari
• 5.  Now Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and  Donald O.Clifton, Ph.D.
• 4.  First Break All The Rules by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman
• 3.  Leading at a Higher Level by Ken Blanchard and Associates
• 2. The 21 Most Powerful Minutes in a Leader’s Day by John Maxwell
• 1.  John Maxwell’s Leadership Bible

[Tweet “How are you fueling YOUR Leadership fire? “] 

Additional posts about developing your leadership:

• Paid to Think or to Check Your Brains at The Door?
• Real Leaders Challenge The Status Quo
• Who Sees Further:  A Dwarf or a Giant?
• Being a Leader Means Understanding