When you are in the company of great leaders, you want to be able to add value and be one of the group. Don’t feel like you don’t deserve to be there, or that you are out of your league. Pick up a few lessons and you will fit right in.
Assemble the best team.
Surround yourself with people that can compliment your strengths and help you with your weaknesses. Remember the most successful teams are not only those featuring the most diverse skill sets, but also those that share passions and values.
Talk less, think more.
Effort is often misdirected when problem solving. Don’t spend your life analyzing the problem. Spend your energy thinking of solutions. When you think about solutions it gives you energy to try. Talking about the problem sucks the energy out.
Seek inspiration in unexpected places.
The more diverse the mind, the more likely it is to come up with creative, innovative, and unexpected solutions. Don’t neglect things like reading books, travel, lectures, and other activities that broaden your horizons and teach you how to think in unexpected ways.
Have a plan.
Be prepared. Have ready access to resources. When starting a big project, one should be able to see the starting point and the end.
Trust your intuition.
People who believe in themselves and their own ideas appear to be smarter and more competent than those who vacillate and never drive forward. Often intuition works better than you’d think; study after study has proven that instincts are at least as crucial to our work as outright strategy, and maybe more.
Focus on what you do well.
Know your abilities and limits. Don’t try to be perfect. Many people think they’re not good enough and therefore don’t try, or even talk about it. In a humble way, don’t spend your day thinking about what your shortfalls are, think about what you do well. You will be happier because you’re succeeding: You have an impact, people appreciate you, and there’s a positive spiral.
Manage energy.
Be aware of the energy both in and around you. Think about what sucks your energy out and avoid it or manage it. I get up every morning, I exercise; it gives me more energy. Other people may have something else. Identify what gives you energy and do it. Avoid it or confine what sucks the energy out. Energy is at the center of performance.
Let your actions speak for themselves.
Admire people who say little about their work and let the results do the talking. Humility goes a long way, more than the constant self-promotion that runs rampant in today’s work environment. Don’t sit somewhere and say, I want to do something great. Say instead, I want to impact people’s lives in a way that improves their livelihood.
Be willing to fail.
You’re smarter than you think. People are less genius than you’d imagine. Don’t be afraid of failing.
Now go out and do great things!
Make it a great day!