7 Leadership Lessons from Sam Walton, Founder of Walmart

Sam Walton built one of the most successful enterprises of all time. He started the first Walmart store back in 1962 at Bentonville, Arkansas. Sam Walton was 44 years old then. The retail chain expanded internationally in the next 30 years and became the world’s largest company by 2010. As per Fortune Global 500 list in 2019, Walmart is the world’s largest company by revenue with US$514.405 billion.

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5 Neuroscience Hacks for Making You a Better Leader

Neuroscience Hacks

What has neuroscience got to do with leadership? Quite a lot, reveal many studies. The prevalence of anxiety, depression, stress and chaos in the modern day lives can take a toll on leaders.

As per the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2019, as complex structural changes impact people’s work, relationships and lives, mental health problems now affect an estimated 700 million people worldwide.

Leaders need to confront these facts and find ways to overcome these challenges. A leader needs to understand how the human brain responds to challenges, situations and various events.

Here we look at 5 Neuroscience hacks for better leadership.

1. Learning New Things:

The brain changes throughout your life. The neuroplasticity of the brain is affected when you learn new things. Our brains work better when we keep learning new things. Leaders understand the urge for learning that is inbuilt into the human brain.

Leaders encourage constant learning and help their team take on new challenges. They create a framework where learning, experimentation and growth is encouraged for their team members.

Researchers have found that new neurons are created in the brain associated with learning, memory and emotion throughout adult life. Your brain can be as dynamic as you want it to be.

2. Stress Management

Stress Management

Our brains work best when they are constantly supplemented with physical activity. The physical activity stimulates the chemicals that affect the brain cells. It is immensely helpful in keeping your brain sharp and focused.

As human beings become more and more dependent on technology, the stress in the system builds up. Physical exercise and activity is the best way to release this stress.

Leaders need to know that stress impairs brain functioning. It also speeds up cognitive decline. Physical activity, mindfulness and aerobics can help to manage stress.

3. Leading by Example

lead-by-example

According to neuroscientist, Tej Tadi, “brain cells that fire both when a person acts and that person observes the same action performed by another person.”

Leaders must understand that people learn by observing things around them. The brain mimics the behaviour of the persons we associate with. Leaders must set the right examples by leading from the front. They must create a congenial environment where people can learn and grow together.

4. Uncertainty is Good

We all seek predictability and certainty in things we do. But situations and events around us are never predictable. The corporate world, in particular throws many unprecedented and unknown challenges. Leaders need to constantly guard themselves and their teams against the unpredictable.

A Yale University study has shown that the brain benefits from volatility and uncertainty boosts learning. Professor Daeyeol Lee says, “when you enter a more novel and volatile environment, this might enhance the tendency for the brain to absorb more information.”

The brain is not always learning, but adapts according to situations. So, the more challenging situations may bring out the best in the teams.

5. Explain the Why

explain-the-why

Our brain works best when it can understand the cause and effect. People are in a state of inertia unless they are compelled to move. Resistance and change can be hard. But when people know the reason why something needs to be done, they figure out the how.

Leaders need to play an important role in defining the why, the purpose to bring out the best in their teams. Our brains are geared to work on positive experiences. When we know something is important and feel connected to it, the results can be taken to a different level altogether.

When leaders understand the psychology of their people, they can connect with them better & bring out the best in them.

How Azim Premji Steered Wipro from a Cooking Oil Company to a Global IT Powerhouse!

Azim Premji

Azim Premji is the name that inspires awe and admiration. The leader is widely respected around the globe for his achievements and humanitarian contributions.

The Wipro Chairman, Azim Premji has decided to step down in July. He has spent over five decades at Wipro and made it a global powerhouse in IT. Wipro is easily one of the largest technology companies not just in India but across the world. It has over 171,000 employees located around the world and headquartered at Bangalore, India.

The 74-year old Premji is the second richest person in India and has a net worth of US $21.5 billion. He has taken the giving pledge where he will be donating more than 50% of his wealth. Known for his modest, down to earth living style, high values and great leadership, Azim Premji’s journey has been enthralling.

He joined his family business at the age of 21, when his father passed away. He took over the reigns of the company at an early stage and guided Wipro to what it is today. Here’s a look at his remarkable feats.

1. The Foundation

The Foundation

Wipro was founded in 1945 by MH Premji, Azim Premji’s father. Wipro started in Amalner, a small town in Maharashtra. The company was a manufacturer of vegetable and refined oils under the name of Sunflower. Kisan and Camel were the other popular trade names in early days of Wipro. The company was then called Western Indian Vegetable Products.

MH Premji passed away in 1966, it was then Azim Premji was forced to return to India from the Stanford University. He took charge of the company and diversified its offerings. The company offered toiletries, soaps, lighting products and hydraulic cylinders then.

2. Rebranding the Family Business

Premji continued to infuse his energy into the company his father founded. He rebranded the business in 1977 and the company was now called Wipro Products Limited.

The young Premji pacified the doubts and concerns of the shareholders with his performance. In the initial days, some of the shareholders openly expressed concerns about the Premji’s leadership capabilities, but he took it in a positive spirit and continued his journey.

Azim Premji once remarked, “Essentially leadership begins from within. It is a small voice that tells you where to go when you feel lost. If you believe in that voice, you believe in yourself.”

3. Foray into Technology Industry

Foray into Technology Industry

Azim Premji was a visionary who was able to see things beyond what others could imagine. In 1979, India ousted Coca-Cola and IBM to leave the country. It opened a gap in the technology industry. Azim Premji was able to see the gap and took it as a challenge.

He made great efforts and made Wipro into a technology company. By 1980, Wipro was manufacturing minicomputers in collaboration with an American company. Wipro was still creating its other products like soaps, cooking oil, toiletries etc.

The swift entry into the technology industry at the right time gave Wipro a great competitive advantage. The far sighted and visionary approach of Azim Premji made a huge difference.

4. Expansion & Growth

Once Wipro entered the technology industry, it started to expand rapidly. It had found a niche. The 1980s and 90s saw Wipro’s rise and it positioned itself among the leading IT companies.

In 1988, Wipro had established itself in the technology industry and entered into a partnership with General Electric for manufacturing as well as sales and service of diagnostic & imaging equipments.

5. The Birth Of Lighting

The Birth Of Lighting

In 1992, Wipro extended its expansion streak. The company started its journey into the retail market with Wipro Lighting. The company launched LED lighting solutions that were innovative and designed with excellence.

The company acquired corporate clients and even homespaces. Wipro offered the first LED lighting solutions in India. The company launched LEDs with longevity, low maintenance and efficient lighting solutions to capture the consumer market, offices, banks and retail outlets etc.

“Excellence is a great starting point for any new organisation but also an unending journey.”

Azim Premji

6. A Pioneer

Premji ensured that the quest for excellence and innovation was bright at Wipro. It emerged as a pioneer among its peers by the sheer audacity of its ambitions.

Wipro remained ahead of the rest by launching a range of personal computers under the brand of Wipro SuperGenius range.

Premji also managed to collaborate with KPN (Royal Dutch Telecom) to form joint venture for providing internet services in India.

The company exported software products and services to its customers abroad since its early days. Wipro was the first Indian software company to get ISO certification.

7. The World Stage

The World Stage

Wipro continued to differentiate, innovate and command attention at the global stage. Wipro was listed in NYSE in the year 2000. They launched the BPO business in the year 2002.

The software services export unit was now attracting global players like Intel to Wipro. The company partnered with Intel in 2004. Premji managed to sign a big deal with global defense and aerospace giant Lockheed Martin.

Wipro also became a billion dollar software company in 2004. A feat that was achieved by only a handful of companies in the world at the time.

8. Software & IT Giant

In 2013, Wipro demerges itself into a separate company to handle its diversified businesses, called Wipro Enterprises Ltd.

Wipro was now focused exclusively in IT & software business. The company generates a revenue of over US $8 billion and among the leading technology companies in the world.

Azim Premji has been at the helm of affairs and made Wipro into the company that it is. He remains one of India’s most inspirational business leaders and a recipient of several honors. In 2011, he was awarded Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award by the Government of India.

Premji’s legacy, philanthropic work and iconic leadership will continue to inspire people all around the world.

Azim Premji summarised his life lessons by quoting, “God always gives the very best to those who leave the choice to Him.”

7 Traits of Highly Admired Leaders

Highly Admired Leaders

A leader is a force multiplier. When teams truly believe in their leader, they are able to do accomplish incredible things.

What makes leaders highly admired? Well, there are some traits of leadership that make people stand out. These traits help individuals rise to another level and inspire trust in others.

Great leaders are able to connect, inspire and elevate their followers to the next level. Here’s a look at some of the most admired qualities of leaders:

1. Stay Positive

Stay Positive

Great leaders always set their sites on a lofty goal. They aspire to reach and push others to higher levels all the time. They know how to create a happy,  motivated and focused team for achieving shared goals.

When things go wrong and don’t work as per expectations, good leaders take charge of the situation. They confront problems and do not blame others. They resolve to provide solutions and in the process inspire others to do so as well.

Even in the worst situations and catastrophic failures, they do their best to save individuals and teams. They know that they are responsible for the well being of their teams. They stay positive and encourage others during tough times.

2. They take ownership of their mistakes and failures

No one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes, but rarely do leaders admit their failures. A leader who can openly admit his mistakes and failures builds a rapport with the team.

The most admired leaders take ownership of what they do, especially the mistakes. Many leaders are quick to blame others and try to point fingers in adverse situations. But great leaders take responsibility and make others accountable too.

3. Results

Results

A leader is admired when he can deliver the results. Whether it is the sports teams or corporate ones, the truly outstanding leaders deliver the results.

How effectively a leader can maximise the strengths of his teams shows his mettle. The truly capable leaders have the ability to look ahead, to plan, anticipate and achieve great results.

Admirable leaders have the ability to anticipate trends, see what others miss and rally their teams to achieve remarkable things. They are able to visualise and communicate goals with clarity to energise people around them.

4. Focus

Focus is one of the most important things for leaders today. A great leader is always doing the things that create maximum value. They know the importance of energy, time and focus. They maximise their impact by focusing on the things that are truly important.

A great leader always helps the teams to focus on the right things. Leaders align their teams in the right direction and eliminate all distractions. They know what needs to be achieved by themselves & by others.

Great leaders focus on strengths of people and combine them in a way that everyone benefits from each other. They have clarity and bring intense focus to do things that seem impossible for others.

5. Collaborate without Ego

Collaborate without Ego

The leaders need to collaborate and work with people to succeed. Many a times, leaders are let down by their ego. They are unable to check their egos and it often leads to conflicts with others.

Leadership is the ability to bring out the best in people, helping them to improve and making a positive contribution to everyone around you.

The truly admirable leaders are able to build bridges and find ways to collaborate with others. They know the art of making connections, fostering long term relationships and helping people succeed.

6. Value Everyone

A good leader treats everyone fairly without any bias. The standards are same for everyone and you can expect no undue favours from them.

Leaders create an environment where people know what they do is important. They know that their contribution matters, they know they are valued and want to be part of the team.

A leader ensures that people are driven by important things that will add meaning and create impact. They know how to bring everyone to a common platform where people can make contribute towards a bigger cause.

7. They Do it Themselves

They Do it Themselves

People rarely listen to leaders, they simply watch what leaders do. Leaders never expect others to do what they don’t do themselves. They walk the talk. They are authentic, committed and know what it takes to be successful.

A great leader backs people when they are down, supports them in failures and prepares them to take on bigger challenges. A leader leads by examples in all he is doing. He is setting the benchmarks by his own performance and work ethics. When the team can look up to their leaders, they rise to his standards and achieve great thing in the process.

8 Differences between Leadership & Management & Why both are important

diffrence-between-leadership-and-management

People often mistake leadership and management as same, but actually these two are very different. The main point of difference is that a leader is a person who has a quality of influencing people whereas a manager has attributes of making people work under him by administering them in the best possible manner.  

Though these two are different, yet they should go hand in hand. They are inter-linked and complementary to each other. By separating these, an organization might face problems rather than providing solutions. For any organization to be successful, it should have a well management to plan and organise its employees along with providing them a source of motivation to perform their tasks well.

So, below are some key points that will help in understanding the differences between leadership and management. We will also learn why these two are important for a successful organisation.

1.Leadership is about inspiring, management is about planning

Leaders have a propensity to encourage and inspire their staff whereas managers tend to find faults. Leaders know how to encourage their staff in working together and accomplishing the goals. Managers, on the other hand, focus on achieving goals by controlling the situations or exceeding the objectives. They make plans and work accordingly.

“All time management begins with planning.” This quote by Tom Greening is so apt as management requires planning before anything else.

2.Leadership is all about uniqueness, management is about method

Leadership-is-all-about-uniqueness,-management-is-about-method

Leaders always tend to be themselves. They work hard and actively to create their own unique brand name. Leadership believes in authenticity and transparency. Managers, try to be methodical about what they have learnt from others. They just adopt the behaviour rather than defining it.

3.Leadership have followers, management have subordinates

Leaders have people who follow them. They have a great influencing power that attracts people towards them. Managers do not influence anyone. They only have people who work for them and are known as subordinates.

4.Leadership take risks, management controls it

management-controls-it

Leaders are never afraid of failures. Leaders are willing to try new things and take risks. “If you’re not failing, then it’s a sign that you are not doing anything innovative”- Woody Allen. Leaders know that failure is a stepping stone to success.

Managers do not take huge risks. They either try to control or avoid them by taking preventive actions before hand.

5.Leadership requires trust, management needs control

Leadership is based wholly on the trust provided to a leader by his followers. Peter F Drucker rightly quoted, “Leadership is an achievement of trust.” Without trust, a leadership cannot sustain.

Management, on the other hand is based on the manager’s control over his subordinates. He tried to control and organise his employees in a positive way which in turn helps in achieving success.

6.Leadership is futuristic, management is about the present

management-is-about-present

Leaders have a foresight vision. They are likely to remain in long run and have futuristic approach towards their work. This keeps them motivated towards their goal, unlike managers who tend to have a short range vision. They focus on their routine work which help them seek regular kudos. The regular praise is what keeps manager motivated and encouraged.

7.Leadership brings change, management brings stability

Leaders remain curious throughout their work and seek to incorporate new changes, either in the organisation or in their work pattern. Leaders create changes whereas managers react to the changes so constructed.

Managers just follow the practices and principles that has been continuing since ages. These people work as per the set guidelines, rather than thinking big and out of the box. This brings stability in the work environment.

8.Leadership create relations, management creates systems

Leadership-create-relations

Leaders know how to build relations with their stakeholders. They spend most of their time in creating sincerity and fidelity by delivering their promises on time. They need to influence these people in order to know their vision.

Managers focus on the necessary structures that might help an organisation grow and succeed. They make sure that all the systems are working properly to attain the desired results.

At the end, leadership and management are inseparable in nature. In an organisation, we can see both management and leadership skills. Management is all about maintaining the 5Ms whereas leadership is about persuading people in a right direction and discovering talent in them. For an organisation to be successful, there has to be a mixture of both.

8 Personality Traits that Make You a Leader

Leadership traits

Leadership is not about titles, it is about your attitude and what you do.

Leadership is rare quality. Some people are naturally gifted to be leaders. But most people especially in corporate world acquire leadership through hard work and grit. When you build and develop the right traits, you can improve your leadership abilities.  

Leadership is about influencing things positively and making an impact that can translate in something bigger than self interests. It is about doing what it takes to be able to instrument things for well being of others.

Here we look at some of the personality traits that make you a leader, no matter where you are & what position you hold:

1. Doing More than Others:

Doing More than Others

It sounds very simple, but the primary quality of leadership is about giving. When you give more than others you rise up the leadership ladder. It is about taking responsibility and going out of the way to get things done and helping others.

Leadership is not given to anyone, but people rise to become leaders by their actions and attitude.

2. Authenticity:

Great leaders push themselves and also want their teams to do their best. They are authentic and are driven by the big picture. This authenticity can be seen in their day to day actions. Whether it is the projects they are working on, their communication or interactions with clients, they are honest.

True leaders wield power with the work they do and who they are. They don’t show off or mislead people. They do what they say and never say anything they don’t mean.

3. Inspire Others:

 Inspire Others

If you inspire others to raise their standards and game, you are a leader. The best leaders always inspire their co-workers, team mates and associates to be their best.

You can never succeed by running away from responsibility, shirking work, and indulging in politics. You can only rise higher in life by doing great things, raising your standard, and constantly pushing yourself to do better.

They have the best interest in their hearts for all, make meaningful difference and inspire others to be great too.

4. Growth Mindset:

The challenges of tomorrow cannot be solved with the skills of yesterday.

Change is the name of the game. Anyone who detests change inhibits his own progress. When you are a leader or aspire to be one, you need to embrace the change. You need to proactively change and steer things in a better direction all the time.

Leadership is about acquiring a growth mindset, where you constantly strive to get better & make others better too.  

5. Inner Drive:

 Inner Drive

Leaders are driven by what they want to achieve. They are disciplined, because they are motivated by what they are doing.

In Dan Pink’s book, Drive, he argues that “purpose” & “mastery” are two things that humans find most motivating. It is about finding meaning in what we do and getting really good at it.

By sheer involvement and mastery of your work, you can not only gain expertise but also improve your leadership capabilities.

6. Problem Solvers:

You can either be a complainer or a problem solver. The problem solvers are constantly looking for solutions, others are busy complaining. People who solve tough problems and provide valuable solutions are always in demand.

Leaders need to deal with pressure situations every day and they are need to constantly look for creative ways to find solutions. When you find solutions and help everyone win, you are a leader.

7. Humility:

Humility

Humility is acknowledging that you don’t know everything. Despite whatever expertise you have in your field, nothing is ever constant. Things change fast and the only way to keep pace is by being humble. Leaders are humble; they know that they don’t everything.

It is by constantly looking for better ways of doing things, learning from those who are more accomplished and being open minded to accept the right inputs. Humility is a great virtue that leads people to improve themselves and rise up the echelons of leadership.

8. Impact:

Does your work create impact? This is a really hard question to answer, but leaders ask this question with everything they do. Yes, doing things that create an impact and makes a meaningful difference matters a lot.

The time you spend doing things will have little significance, if it doesn’t make an impact. Leaders do meaningful work, create positive impact and attract success.

Conclusion:

Leaders influence things positively. They care deeply about what they are doing, contribute and do their best to help everyone. They live up to higher standards, put their hand up in tough situations and make things better. Leaders give more than they receive and are ready to sacrifice their interests for larger good of those around them.

8 Powerful Leadership Lessons by Howard Schultz

Howard Schultz

Howard Schultz is one of the best known leaders in the world. He led Starbucks to enormous success and made it a global phenomenon. He held the position of CEO & Chairman of Starbucks from 1986 to 2000 & from 2008 to 2017. He currently serves as the Chairman Emeritus of Starbucks.

Schultz came into limelight for his great leadership in making Starbucks the largest coffeehouse in the world with more than 23,000 locations. As per Forbes, Howard Schultz has an estimated net worth of $2.9 billion(as of Feb 19).  He is one of the richest men in America was recognized as Fortune Magazine’s 2011 Businessperson of the Year. He is also expected to be a candidate in the 2020 US Presidential elections.

Howard Schultz’s journey from a sales person after graduating to becoming a CEO and Chairman of Starbucks has many leadership lessons for everyone. Here we look at some of the powerful leadership lessons from one of the most influential leaders of our times.

1. Vision

The success of Howard Schultz can be attributed to his remarkable vision. When he joined Starbucks, he could see things that others didn’t. He knew there was more to Starbucks than coffee. He wanted to build the complete experience, a place where people enjoyed spending time and eventually ended up creating a haven for coffee lovers called Starbucks.

Howard Schultz came from a humble background. His father worked as a truck driver, factory worker and cab driver. Howard Schultz was the first person in his family to graduate from college.

2. Lead from the Heart

Leadership

All great leaders have a deep rooted mission where they want to do good. They want to impact people’s lives positively and that is what drives them. Howard Schultz is one of those leaders.

Howard Schultz has demonstrated great passion for building Starbucks. He has backed his teams and often displays emotions, even vulnerabilities and advocates authenticity as an essential element for leadership.

Howard Schultz advocates doing things from your heart. He says when you “romance what you serve” it creates an elevated feeling and customers can experience it. When you do things with your heart into it, it creates vibes that take it to the next level.

3. Take Responsibility

Howard Schultz says, “I took my life in my hands, learned from anyone I could, grabbed what opportunity I could, and molded my success step by step.”

Great leaders take responsibility for what they do. They go out of their way, push themselves and never accept status quo. The consistency of Starbucks’ products across locations and countries is a proof of this.

As a leader it is important not to blame your team or situations, take responsibility for your actions and help your team find the solution.

4. Give Back

Leadership Lessons Starbucks

In 1961, when Howard was growing up, his father had broken his ankle and couldn’t go to his job. His mother was 7 months pregnant and couldn’t take up a job either. The family found it really difficult to manage the finances.

Schultz writes in his book, “Our family had no income, no health insurance, no worker’s compensation, nothing to fall back on.”

He said he didnt know it then, but he wanted to make a difference. He writes, “I knew in my heart that if I was ever in a position where I could make a difference, I wouldn’t leave people behind.”

Howard Schultz has been generous and always taken care of his team, employees and does charity work for giving back to society.

Howard has a family trust called the Schultz Family Foundation. The foundation focuses on the needs of youth, veterans, and charitable events.

5. Be Bold & Think Big

Howard Schultz has lived his mantra and he advocates, “If you dream small dreams, you may succeed in building something small. For many people, that is enough. But if you want to achieve widespread impact and lasting value, be bold.”

As a leader you have to be bold and think big. You have to do sacrifice, work hard and create something that will create a huge impact. Despite all the hurdles and setbacks, you cannot lose sight of the big picture. Leaders need to keep believing and push themselves towards their goals everyday.

As a leader, it is your job to align your team to a shared goal. It is this shared goal that creates synergy and drives human spirit to achieve things beyond their wildest dreams.

6. Intellectual Stimulation

Starbucks

Who would have thought that people will pay $4 for coffee? But, then Howard Schultz had other ideas in mind. He imagined a place where people will love to spend time and wanted it to be “the third place” the place other than your home and work.

He told his audience at UCLA in 2008, his goal was to build a “different kind of company” one with a social conscience and a soul.

The authenticity of Starbucks made it the brand that it is today. Leaders need to embrace authenticity and constantly stimulate their teams to achieve the highest goals. Great things are always achieved by those who try their heart out and are always keen to improve.

7. Admit Faults & Ask for Help

Howard Schultz says, “Admit you don’t know what you don’t know. When you acknowledge your weaknesses and ask for advice, you’ll be surprised how much others will help.”

One of the greatest strengths of leadership is to admit faults and ask for help. Whatever you do, no matter what your IQ is, you cannot know everything. Leadership demands humility. When you admit faults and ask for help, it shows your humility. It is an important facet that makes leaders more open minded, collaborative and successful in today’s world.

8. Know Yourself

Leadership Lessons from Howard Schultz

Schultz said, “In times of adversity and change, we really discover who we are and what we’re made of.” As a leader it is important to understand who you are, what you stand for and what your core values are. When you are clear headed, it becomes easier to guide others.

Leadership needs consistency, direction and clarity of vision. Tough times are inevitable, how leaders handle these times moulds their future. A leader with strong self awareness is well equipped to lead his team to great heights.

Howard Schultz is a shining and illustrious example of the infinite possibilities the universe holds for those who dream big. Anything is possible, when you are driven by a strong commitment for achieving your goals.

Starbucks is an inspiring tale of leadership. It can be summarised aptly by Schultz words, “When you’re surrounded by people who share a passionate commitment around a common purpose, anything is possible.”

When Leaders Need to Act Tough

Tough Leaders

Leadership is hard. It gets harder in the world driven by technology, where people spend very little face time even when they are working next to each other. As a leader, you need to set the tone, culture and high standards. Sometimes, you need to act tough and draw the line between what is acceptable and what is not.

Great leaders act tough when they need to; they are not compelled by the circumstances and situations. They are ready to take temporary setbacks for accomplishing their long term vision. Here are some situations when leaders need to act tough:

1. Status Quo

A leader needs to get things moving and challenge the status quo all the time. No organisation or institution can excel without action and relentless pursuit of improvement. A leader needs to set the pace for their team and drive people to accomplish greater things together.

2. Politics

Politics

Nothing is more crippling for organisations than politics. It spreads like cancer. The earlier you tackle it, the better it is. No successful leader encourages politics; infact, they deal with it with an iron fist. People who take the route of politics often end up messing their own careers and achieving very little in the long run. Leaders encourage creativity instead of politics.

3. Mediocrity

Great leadership promotes excellence not mediocrity. Far too often people are keener to do what is easy rather than what is meaningful. Leadership needs to challenge mediocrity and push people to achieve higher standards.

The best way people rise in life is by raising their standards. When people take pride in what they do, they produce great work and grow. Great leaders push average employees into superstars by placing their faith and encouraging them to succeed.

4. Lack of Discipline

Lack of Discipline

Discipline and commitment are non negotiable. Leaders never compromise on discipline and work ethics. When everyone breaches the code of conduct and rules, they should be dealt with proper action.

Great leaders establish great culture by enforcing meaningful rules and policies that can help them achieve synergy in the group. People who are casual about things are rarely disciplined to achieve success.

5. Negative Attitude

Negative attitude is a serious disability. When people spread negativity, lie and gossip, it creates a vicious cycle. Nothing good is achieved from it. It makes people fall into a trap where they simply create a cocoon of negativity around them.

People who are negative find a way to complain about everything. They don’t believe in what they are doing and discourage others from giving their best too. In the end, they only waste their time in negativity and never achieve anything worthwhile. Leaders need to distance themselves and their organisations from such people.

6. Dishonesty & Unethical

Dishonesty & Unethical

When people are dishonest with each other, they create an environment of suspicion around them. Top leaders encourage open communication and honesty. They like to lead with high integrity and character. When teams know they can trust their team members and leaders, they are likely to succeed.

7. Misplaced Priorities

The real world has dynamically changing priorities. Teams and individuals must understand the priorities in order to achieve what they want. The role of leadership is to constantly communicate what is important and requires attention.

If someone in the team doesn’t understand the priorities, deadlines and urgency of things that need to be done, leaders need to act tough. They need to take action to ensure that things are not repeated by others.

8. Unfair treatment

Unfair treatment

One of the fundamental tenets of leadership is to treat others with respect. Each and every team member is equal. When someone shows a biased attitude and treats other people unfairly, leadership needs to take stringent measures.

Rudeness and unfair treatment of others shouldn’t be tolerated by leaders. They must act to ensure that everyone is treated equal irrespective of their designations of what they do.

9. Excuses

There are two kinds of people, one who give you the excuses and others with the results. Leaders need to identify people who are always looking for excuses and deal with them. When the stakes are high, you cannot back off and give excuses.

Leaders need to inculcate a great spirit in their teams where they consistently give their best and resilient enough to succeed. They should adopt and attitude of learning and experimentation to produce the goods.

10. Poor Results

Poor Results

Leaders expect positive outcomes and progressive work. When teams and people are not producing the results, leaders need to analyse the missing pieces in the puzzle. If the teams are not really connected to their work or find meaning, they often produce poor results. Leaders need to understand the sensitivity of people, but never compromise on results and growth.

Poor results don’t lead to progress or growth. Ultimately if you need to grow, you have to deliver great results, surpass expectations and achieve excellence. It is always possible to achieve it when you give your best. Great leaders strive for progress and results.

27 Inspirational Quotes to Push Yourself & Improve Everyday

 Inspirational Quotes

There are two kinds of people in the world those who complain & others who find solutions. The people who complain accept things as they are and rarely do anything about them. But the people who find solutions improve things around them. People who find solutions are always in demand, they learn and work hard to improve themselves.

The art of pushing yourself and improving everyday is a great habit. It helps you to be successful in your life and also make meaningful contributions wherever you are. Those who rise to the top are not necessarily the most gifted, but more often than not they are the ones who improve themselves relentlessly, work hard and achieve success. Here are some inspirational quotes to inspire you to push yourself and improve everyday.

1. “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.”

 Alexander Graham Bell

2. “Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.”

Napoleon Hill

Napoleon-Hill

3. “Stop chasing the money and start chasing the passion.”

  Tony Hsieh

4. “All progress takes place outside the comfort zone.”

  Michael John Bobak

Michael-John-Bobak

5. “Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.”

 Conrad Hilton

6. “Fall seven times and stand up eight.”

  Japanese Proverb

Japanese-Proverb

7. “If you are not willing to risk the usual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.”

 Jim Rohn

8. “No great achiever – even those who made it seem easy – ever succeeded without hard work.”

 Jonathan Sacks

Jonathan-Sacks

9. “The only thing that overcomes hard luck is hard work.”

 Harry Golden

10. “You were hired because you met expectations, you will be promoted if you can exceed them.”

  Saji Ijiyemi

Saji-Ijiyemi

11. “One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.”

    Arthur Ashe

12. “The way to develop self-confidence is to do the thing you fear and get a record of successful experiences behind you.”

 William Jennings Bryan

William-Jennings-Bryan

13. “If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.”

   Vincent Van Gogh

14. “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”

   Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ralph-Waldo-Emerson

15. “Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong.”

   Peter T. Mcintyre

16. “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”

 Helen Keller

Helen-Keller

17. “Pride is holding your head up when everyone around you has theirs bowed. Courage is what makes you do it.”

 Bryce Courtenay

18. “Never give up. There are always tough times, regardless of what you do in anything in life. Be able to push through those times and maintain your ultimate goal.”

 Nathan Chen

Nathan-Chen

19. “You cannot push any one up a ladder unless he be willing to climb a little himself.”

  Andrew Carnegie

20. “Never set limits, go after your dreams, don’t be afraid to push the boundaries. And laugh a lot – it’s good for you!”

 Paula Radcliffe

Paula-Radcliffe

21. “Push yourself again and again. Don’t give an inch until the final buzzer sounds.”

   Larry Bird

22. “If you don’t really have a dream, you can’t really push yourself; you don’t really know what the target is.”

   MS Dhoni

MS-Dhoni

23. “Invest in a trainer. You see the progress so quickly, and you push yourself in new ways.”

   Camila Mendes

24. “Never assume you can’t do something. Push yourself to redefine the boundaries.”

 Brian Chesky

Brian-Chesky

25. “Self-knowledge is the beginning of self-improvement.”

   Baltasar Gracian

26. “Change equals self-improvement. Push yourself to places you haven’t been before.”

  Pat Summitt

Pat-Summitt

27. “When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”

 Paulo Coelho