8 Steps To Becoming The Leader You Need To Be To Succeed In Print

An important part of success in life is having the ability to lead. It is important that we not only are able to lead others but be willing to lead ourselves. Nobody succeeds in life by simply following others. Sometimes we must create a new path for ourselves. 

Being a good leader is more than simply being at the forefront of a business. A leader must take action. I see it all the time. Too often we just accept that someone looks or sounds like a leader without actually looking at the actions that leader performs. 

In order to become good leaders ourselves, we need to concentrate on actions rather than simple appearances. The title of this blog describes 8 steps but please don't think of these as progressive steps like an instruction manual. Instead, think of these are actions you need to take on a regular basis. 

First, be alert to new potentials. Reality is not absolute but rather subject to constant change. Think about many of the successful leaders that you know. Perhaps there are times in their career where they've carried a bit of luck, been in the right place at the right time but one thing they have always done was have their eyes open for opportunities If you always have your eyes open, being lucky or being in the right place at the right time has no significance. 

Second, accept inspiration from wherever it comes from, even your competition. Something I always teach my clients and within The Print Growth Academy is to analyze your competitors, get to know their strengths, and learn their weaknesses. It's important not to fall victim to just focusing on their weaknesses though. We've all heard the phrase "Success leaves clues!". If you find something the strengths in their business, find a way to strengthen your own qualities to match. 

Third, learn something new and promote it in new ways every day. I think it's important to continually seek to expand your horizons both internally and externally every day. One thing I do personally is subscribe to a website called Blinkist. It's like Audible but what it does is condense the learning from a book into blinks which typically total 15-20 mins. It means I can effectively read 1 new book each day, take the basic learnings from each book and implement them into everyday life straight away. 

Fourth, constantly question the things you are doing on a regular basis and ask yourself if they are truly making a difference to your overall goals. This is where I feel coaching comes in handy as a coach will push you to look more inwards, search for better ways to do things and keep you accountable in the process. 

Fifth, improvise if no existing solutions are available. Necessity is the mother of invention. How do you know something won't work if you haven't tried it before? Remember, not all approaches need to come from the front. Look at your problem from all sides and systematically attempt different solutions in various combinations. 

Sixth, do something to make at least one person happy each day. If you've ever been to a BNI Networking meeting, you've probably heard the phrase "Givers Gain" used. In essence, I take this concept into my personal life and make a point of doing something thoughtful for someone close to me every single day. It was a habit I took from Brendan Buchard's book 'High-Performance Habits' and I can assure you there is nothing more rewarding than seeing someone appreciate an act of kindness you have sent their way. 

Seventh, offer help, even if there is nothing in it for you. One of my own business goals is to help as many print business owners as I can so that they have the support I wish I'd had when running my print company. Zig Ziglar once said, "You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want". I believe this to be true. I have a unique number of business owners I'd like to help over the next 20 years. It might seem far-fetched but I truly believe if you go out of your way to offer help, my own goals will take care of themselves. 

Finally, never let negativity be your last word on the subject. If your final words are negative then no matter how helpful you be about the potential of a project or action, the lasting impression you give to others will always be one of negativity. Accentuate the positive and you are more than likely to see a positive outcome. 

I hope you find this useful and if you follow these eight action steps, not only will you be a better leader but also lead yourself to a more successful life.