I have scratched my head a few times watching a leader shoot first and aim later. They seem to be willing to risk doing the wrong thing over doing nothing at all. Not long ago an owner, leadership team, sales team and I were in a conference room discussing a great opportunity that the sales team was planning to pursue. As we were discussing an appropriate game plan, out of the corner of my eye I noticed the owner reach for the phone, ask the group for the phone number, and dialed. One minute later he had a meeting set with the prospect, hung up the phone and said, "Done, what's next?" I often think of that example when I need to move on a project, complete a task, or do something that would be easy to procrastinate on. Great leaders make the best use of their time knowing they can't do everything but they can do something, and if that something allows them to move to the next opportunity or get closer to a win, then just doing it is always the best option. "Done! What's next?" is an appropriate battle cry of great leaders. 

Brad Johnson, President, LawnAmerica

There are certainly many more characteristics that could be discussed, but I thought I would end on a very important one to consider. It may, in fact, be the most important one: great leaders are able to have fun. Browse this partial list of thing I have observed great leaders doing over the years. Being a target for a pie throwing contest; swim in a swamp because the team hit a goal; sit in a dunking booth; walk the Appalachian Trail; play a tree swaying magnificently in the wind during a role-play; challenge their team to a ten-mile race and pay $100 to whoever beats them; put money and prizes in balloons for a balloon drop, go mountain biking, hiking, quail hunting, or sing karaoke; never miss a chance to go on a family vacation, shark fishing; coach softball; cook pancakes for the team; and just find time to sit in the backyard and read.

 

Every one of the examples above came from leaders that I have also observed make tough decisions; close sales, expand to a new territory, fire a person, build a budget; pass out bonus checks, or complete a project in the pouring rain. They would not allow the stress of day-to-day business demands keep them from the enjoying all life has to offer and they use fun to overcome the stress that could rob them of life.

There is one common thing each of us is born with, and it starts to surface at a very young age: the ability to make a choice. A child can choose to listen or not listen to their parent, an adult to exercise or not, all the way to those choices that will enable them to be fulfilled in their later years. Every person in control of their senses and fortunate enough to have good health possesses the opportunity to make choices. Wouldn't it make sense that when we recognize something we are doing is not allowing us to reach our potential as a leader that we would also recognize a different choice needs to be made? If we are not getting better at our work as a leader, then a choice to be more coachable would help. If we know we can improve as leaders by making the simple choices to take action or feel worthy of happiness or to keep moving forward through the low times knowing better days can follow, then we should make those choices and enjoy the benefits that follow. Finally, if we catch ourselves saying there is never enough time for a vacation, or walk in the park then choosing to take a vacation or walk may be the only solution to find the time to do so in the future.

 

Possibly the one acceptable answer to the "Born or Made Debate" is that leaders are neither born nor made but each evolves by recognizing the choices they must make in order to become a great leader.

 

- Jim Paluch

Jim Paluch and Peter Van Stralen, author of C.A.R.E. Leadership, will discuss how the 10 van Stralen brothers built The Grounds Guys®, their landscape management company, from the ground up. By establishing a "culture of C.A.R.E." as the centerpiece of the organization, the brothers have experienced tremendous success, working together in unity and growing their concept into a multinational franchise brand. Eight simple but powerful leadership principles derived from the code of C.A.R.E. will enable your company to thrive, too. Peter Van Stralen says that it's all about the culture from "Create a Remarkable Experience" to "Be Humble" to "Listen Well and Communicate with Respect." This culture gets leaders one step closer to creating a team that is competent, fun, fulfilled, engaged, and committed to giving customers the best service possible. 

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