Once upon hearing a person tell me that he had worked continuously for four years with no vacation, I stopped to think about how unsuccessful that person appeared to be to me. Now, I fully realize that to some people who enjoy their work, this might be a desired result – work all the time because that’s what makes you feel good.

I prefer to think of life like a musical composition. It’s full of variety – tempo changes, dynamic variations, rests, fermatas, and more.

With a variety in like the Transformational Leader is equipped to think clearly and respond to the challenges of leadership with a fresh perspective.

TIP: If you plan to create variety in your life, the change of pace with empower you for challenges ahead for your leadership. Do not lag behind the curve, be prepared to lead the charge by being rested and focused.

When it’s only you, then you can be very flexible – do what you want to do when you want to do it. (not really true, but many solo entrepreneurs experience the world this way) Once you get a team ( for this discussion, 2 or more people), then the status changes. You must then plan the scope and sequence of the work.

Many leaders of major companies treat their systems and processes like the company is small – making dramatic changes and starting the change right away – planning the day on the fly – running meetings but the seat of their pants – just making autocratic decisions and not utilizing project teams or work centers for multi-tasking and working on multiple priorities, just to name a few.

If you want a big company, then develop systems that support the opposite of the situation describe above.

Effective leadership inspires effective work from those whom you lead. The output of the team is in direct proportion to the clarity of their vision about roles, responsibilities, and functions as a team.

TIP: If you don’t like to have your time wasted, then respect the time of those whom you lead by developing systems to achieve maximum results from your great teams.

TIP: Do not let anybody steal your dream. Communicate your vision clearly to your team and inspire excellence in execution. Get the best players and expect the best results. Do not give up and do not let the team give up. You will win.

Perfection paralysis is a condition that keeps many leaders from obtaining their best results. You may know someone or it may be you that is guilty of making sure everything is perfectly in place before taking the first step to implement a goal.

When Napoleon Hill interviewed Andrew Carnegie he captured the quote from Carnegie, “Any idea that is held in the mind and is emphasized, that is either feared or revered, will begin at once to clothe itself in the most appropriate physical form available.” Hill discovered that the most successful Americans that Carnegie introduced him to had many things in common – one key factor stands out – they all set specific goals and began to move toward the goal without having to figure out all the details.

Foundations is about clarity in your vision and specificity on your goals. It does not, however, mean that you must plan until you run out of energy and time to implement your goal. Define the goal and then begin at once to move toward completion of that goal.

TIP: Consider perfection to be the enemy of good. Perfection might just keep you from ever achieving your goal. It’s is worth it?

Are you the 3%? Only three percent of the population will actually follow through with an idea and implement it. Yes, that’s the sad truth. Many, many people have great ideas, if fact there is an abundance of great ideas. There are, however, very few people to see those ideas through to success.

This is the law of averages. Only 3% of the readers of this newsletter will actually implement the ideas. Why? It’s the law of averages. Throughout history this formula repeats itself.

So, the choice is yours. Do you want to be known as the person who actually succeeded? Maybe the winning idea is an idea that was given to you. The great idea does not have to be original.

Today you have many options. You have many opportunities to succeed. Have you decided to succeed? That’s the first step – deciding to succeed. The next step is deciding to be committed to the idea. Believe in the idea and have a passion for the idea. You will not succeed if you have no passion for the idea.

The first step in establishing a successful system is deciding to succeed. Next, figure out how.

TIP: First develop clarity for what you want. Next devise a pathway to success.

Thomas Edison was the most prolific inventor in history. His style of leadership was to work all the time. Edison was known for not sleeping. Yes, that’s true. He basically never slept. He would only take short naps and get right back to work.

There is a difference in being driven and being called as a leader. Edison was productive because he never gave up, in fact, he continued to work to invent the incandescent light bulb through multiple failures. On his 10,000 try he succeeded! Are you willing to work this hard to prove your idea? Edison did not recognize failure. He stated that he found 9,999 ways that did not work.

The Transformational Leader creates balance in life in order to have personal and work lives and not just a work life. It was important to Edison to realize his many brilliant ideas into working, living projects – the light bulb, the dry cell battery, electricity that could be transported over distance, and the telephone (he invented the phone, but got the the patent office after Bell – he was however the person that made the phone work in a practical manner).

Edison made a choice – be the best inventor. He was famous for that. Do you think he was happy? I wonder….

TIP: Plan to be successful in life, not just your work life.

The Transformational Leader leads from a personal influence and not power of position. It’s more difficult and somewhat threatening for a leader to be vulnerable by being authentic, however, this style of leadership inspires others to model authenticity as well. Creating strong leaders makes the Transformational Leader more effective. The power is shared, even though the leader is utlimately the guide for the vision, it is with nurture and not force.

If you look at yourself in the mirror, do you see a person that you would allow to lead you?

As I interviewed Jim Hart for the May 10, 2010 edition of Monday Morning Email (http://dld.bz/cNKu) I really resonated with his perspective on leadership in the church. This newsletter is for those who plan and lead worship ministries. Jim served the church for many years and now is President of the Webber Institute for Worship Studies in Florida. One comment jumped out at me that supports a major principle of Transformational Leadership – Authenticity.

Here’s his quote:

Well, you know, I think leadership is an area that is, has not been given the proper kind of regard, particularly among music ministers and worship leaders. We say we are worship leaders and we talk mostly about worship and not so much about leading and all of us in some way are called to be leaders in the way that, again, the way that Jesus modeled for us being servant leaders. And serving those with whom you spend your life and your ministry. And so, I think reflections on leadership are, are vitally important for all of us who are involved with worship leading ministry or actually just any kind of kingdom advancing ministry. We need to be reflecting on how leadership plays into everything we’re doing.

The principle that resonated with me was that of look to the leadership of Jesus who demonstrated Servant Leadership. Jesus was the Servant Leader, indeed! He represented serving humanity in all that he did. His leadership was authentic. Authenticity inspires authenticity. We are professionals in many types of work. We are first and foremost the person that God created us to me. Trying to be something else is not authentic. It’s good to study leaders, however, learn from successful leaders and make the principles you like your own principles. Learn the principle behind what you see and do not just copy the action.

The successful leader internalizes the lessons learned. These new skills mature as the leader grows and matures in their own leadership style.

Be authentic. Be the leader you were created to be. Be the best you can be – all the time. You will inspire others to do the same.

Look in the mirror. Would you be inspired by you? It has been said that we are the result of the 5 people we hang around the most. Who do you want to influence you? How do you want to influence others?

When I have encouraged you to get the best players for your orchestra, I want you to achieve excellent results. Good players can make good music. In fact, excellent players can make excellent music. Don’t limit the effectiveness of your team by your attitude. Be affirming. Be encouraging. Be authentic. Be focused.

The worst thing you can do it to pretend that you do not have weaknesses yourself or to act like you never make any mistakes. Acknowledge your areas that need improvement and your intentions to create a pathway to achieve those improvements. Inversely, know that your team members will make mistakes and will need encouragement. Your attitude to keep from getting discouraged yourself will inspire your team you learn from their mistakes and move forward with more wisdom.

Surround your self with capable people. They will inspire you. Let go of your pride and realize that it is alright to be inspired by those whom you lead as well a those you follow.

TIP: Nobody want to ignore problems. Learn from them and do not let problems govern your life or limit your potential for success. Those who follow you will model what you do and how you act more than what you say.

One of the most common problems I encounter when working with leaders to build results and create effective teams, is described in the statement, “My people just don’t do what I need them to do.” I suggest that this problem comes from the leader and not from the team.

When a leader defines the vision and then sets specific goals to achieve that vision, it’s important to leave a place for team members to create their strategies for their work. It is limiting for team members when a leader not only defines the outcomes, but also defines all the steps to get there.

You have a worthy vision and have created powerful goals that will drive processes toward achieving that vision. Create systems where team members can fill in the blanks. Once each team member can contribute a process step, they move to being interested in the vision to owning the vision.

If you create a sloppy process for this process, then you are creating a less than excellent organization. Inspire excellence. Define the goal, move forward by creating a process to define all the steps to achieve that goal, put the steps into a sequence and then let the team members divide up the responsibility for managing those process steps. Be focused in your process. Allow each member to contribute. Assign responsibilities and deadlines. Shift the accountability from you, the leader, to the team.

TIP: Plan the outcomes of the planning meeting. Plan the process to get to the outcomes. Define the process and outcomes at the beginning of the meeting. Keep the group on task. Excellence in planning leads to excellent results.