The Four Factors of Effective Leadership

Planning a big party?

I'm sitting here watching 46664, a concert celebrating Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday. (46664 was his identification number during his 27 years as a prisoner on Robben Island)

The third factor of effective leadership is inspiration, which includes developing a personal mission.  Imagining one's 80th birthday party is a common exercise used to help people discover and clarify their mission. Mandela has certainly set the bar quite high. First, he's made it to 90, not just 80. Second, most of the world was invited to his party (if not in person, then via television). Third, some of the most well-known figures in the world participated in the event. Bono even suggested that there should be an annual holiday to recognize Mandela's contribution to his people and the world.

I doubt that, as a young man, Mandela would have envisioned this celebration. However, it beautifully illustrates that the end of our life gives testament to the way we lived that life.

So, are you planning a big party? Will it be as big as Mandela's?

What do you need to do now to earn that kind of celebration? How do you need to live today, so that your 90th birthday will rival his?

Even if you don't have the answers yet, these are important questions.   

Leadership Checkers

My daughters, ages 6 and 4, decided they'd like to learn how to play checkers tonight. After helping them understand the basics, I tried to help them consider the consequences of each move. I asked them to think about one question before moving a piece. "What will probably happen if I do this?"

It struck me that this is a great question for leaders to ask themselves. Effective leadership is oriented towards the future. Unfortunately, sometimes we just do things without considering the consequences. We do things out of habit. We do things because everyone else is doing them. We do things because of pressure from others. But we forget to ask ourselves, "What will probably happen if I do this?"

As I watched my daughters play, I saw that when they asked the question, they made better decisions and got better results. When they just moved without thinking about the consequences, they made bad decisions and got bad results.

It may seem like a simple lesson and it is. However, it is often overlooked. So, next time you have an important move to make, remember to ask the question. "What will probably happen if I do this?"