Issue 2                                                                                         Vol. 75

The Four Phases Of Growth

ven if you have great natural ability, it takes time to become a leader, says John Maxwell. Maxwell, who founded four companies and has spent 30 years in various leadership roles, says you need time to go through four phases of growth:

   1. "You don’t know what you don’t know." To start on the leadership path, you must realize that leadership is influence. And everybody–including you–tries to influence others every day. If you accept that fact, you’ve reached an important point on the way to becoming a leader: You realize you need to know more about how influence works.

   2. "I know what I don’t know." You’ll usually find yourself in this phase after you’ve been thrust into a leader’s role. Now you know for sure that you need to learn more about influence. So start to gather resources, attend seminars, take courses and talk to leaders in your field.

  3. "I grow, and I know it starts to show." At this point, others begin to notice–and comment on–something about you that says you’re on your way to becoming a leader. But realize it won’t happen as quickly as you’d like. It will occur according to the "Law of Process:" In five years, your influence will increase. In 10, you’ll be an effective leader. And in 20 years–if you’ve continued your growth–others will be asking you to show them how to lead.

  4. "I simply go because of what I know." This is when all your hard work and willingness to learn–and teach others–pays off. Your leadership becomes almost automatic. But you can’t get there without paying the price of lifelong learning and being patient enough to let the "Law of Process" work.

   Suggestion: Think of becoming a leader as like investing in the stock market: If you hope to amass a fortune in one day, you won’t succeed. But if you start learning today, you’ll be ready to lead when the time comes.

 Adapted from The Manager’s Edge. Original Source: The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You, by John C. Maxwell, Thomas Nelson Publishers Inc., Nelson Place at Elm Hill Pike, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214.

Help Perfectionists Be Better Managers

erfectionists set high standards and push themselves hard. That’s fine for self-motivation and career moves, but it can cause problems if they supervise others.

When your perfect protégés move to management positions and refuse to cut anyone any slack, you need to:

�        Help them see and acknowledge that all people make mistakes, and that occasional mishaps don’t preclude success.

�        Coach them to recognize the difference between who they are and what they do for a living. Example: Just because they see themselves as demanding perfectionists doesn’t mean they should magnify a minor defect in an employee’s otherwise excellent report.

�        Encourage them to publicly recognize what goes well and not dwell on every error. Remind them that steady praise will improve the morale of those they supervise.

Source: Entrepreneur, Entrepreneur Media Inc., 2392 Morse Ave., Irvine, CA 92714.

Motivational Quotes

"The average person puts only 25 percent of his energy and ability into his work. The world takes off its hat to those who put in more than 50 percent of their capacity, and stands on its head for those few and far between souls who devote 100 percent." — Andrew Carnegie 

Failing Employees

Are your employees failing?

Want to save time, money, and a lot of energy for you and your organization?

Set employees up to succeed not fail. Make sure your employees know:

�        What the job is. Make sure you explain to each person specific directions and/or goals about the job or task.

�        Explain how to do the job. Be available to answer questions or give directions on how to do the job or task.

�        Make sure a person or situation doesn’t interfere with employees’ ability to do the job.

Sorrell Associates, Copyright 2002-2004

I've had several clients and subscribers ask me about the new CAN-SPAM act that went into effect at the beginning of 2004, and how it affects them. So I thought I'd give you a link to read the law yourself. http://www.spamlaws.com/federal/108s877.html.

CAN-SPAM is an acronym for "The Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act" and the new legislation does pack a punch. Serious offenders can now be fined up to $2 million or sent to jail for up to five years!

Make sure you know before you the law before you start sending your messages.

FYI - The act does not make sending spam illegal. It regulates the way that spam may be sent. Spam is unsolicited commercial email. Note that ezine publishers, or anyone else with a list, whose list was created by each person specifically requesting to be on that list, is not sending unsolicited email.

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