The Mindset of a Leader

Do you have the mindset of a leader?  It is not a natural thing to have.  Think of it, when you were born, it was about you.  In grade school and high school, it was about you.  Even in college – especially in college – it was all about you.  But, being a leader has everything to do with you and nothing to do with you at the same time.

What does that mean?  A truly great leader will take the fall for failure of the team, but will promote others in the win.

How often do we hear business leaders or politicians say “I”?  I did this and I did that when we all know behind that person was a team of very good, maybe even better than the leader, people focused and diligent on seeking success.

It can be very difficult to change your mindset from focusing on you to the success of others.  After all, most leaders rise to the position because of their talents, not those around them.  Once the leader is in the position, they must have a paradigm shift to focus on those around them.

For example, in network marketing, a great leader will have many others in their organization that will be just as successful as they are.  I have seen people come in to an organization, sponsor a ton of people right away, then flame out because of a failure to show his team how to duplicate his success.

How do you have that paradigm shift?
By following a few steps:

Start daily with reviewing the goals of the team.  Look to others in the team that seem to be lagging a bit and give them a boost, whether it be a phone call, email or an in-person meeting.  Find out what you can do for them to be more successful.



Review emails you send to upper management (if a traditional business) and to your staff / downline.  Wherever possible, take out the letter “I” and replace it with “we” or some other term that will show that you are all working together as a team.

As a leader, you will often be spotlighted for successes.  Be quick to acknowledge the team behind you and, if appropriate, highlight one or two stars that really helped make the success happen.
In the event of a failure, avoid spotlighting anyone!  Do not go blaming someone on the team for the failure unless that person is you.

Remember, your main purpose as a leader is to help others beneath you become leaders themselves.  Focus on this daily.  Set goals, tasks or calendar items if necessary to think of ways you can help provide additional training or some type of insight to those on your team.

Your job as a leader is to identify those around you that are ready to become you, a leader in their own right.  Changing your mindset to that of a leader will not view this as a threat, but rather as a sign of success.