Why Do Some Leaders Fail?

By Mark Bowser

Why do leaders fail? This is a tricky question. One with multiple depths of answers. However, I believe there are two shining pillars that are always missing from leaders who fail. Sometimes, these failing leaders are missing both of these pillars and at other times they are missing just one of them. But, if either is missing, failure is inevitable.


What are these missing pillars? They are Character and Vision. Let’s take a few minutes to explore these pillars a bit deeper.

Hitler was a man of great vision. A man who succeeded a great deal. But, Hitler was a lousy leader. Why? Because of a lack of moral character. Yes, he thought he had character. Yes, many others thought he had character too. But, to the masses of the world and of history, he lacked the basic moral character of honesty, uprightness, and love for fellow human beings. Because of this, he eventually failed. We could get into the theological reasons for this failure, but that is one for another discussion. All leaders who lack character at their core will fail. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday.

The second pillar that is missing from leadership failures is vision. Vision is vital. Vision is critical. King Solomon in the book of Proverbs said, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” And perish indeed they will. Where there is no vision or direction, people wander around in chaos with no purpose. The human experience needs purpose. We not only need purpose, we crave it. Vision provides the purpose of the destination before the journey ever begins.

Successful leaders continually develop their two pillars. They are mindful of their character and where they are going. Would there be an America without a Washington? Would there be two countries if not for Lincoln? Would England have survived World War Two without Churchill. Will your organization thrive without you? A you focused on incredible character and a vision worthy of the moon. Some thoughts for us all to ponder.

The Two Most Important Training Elements to Have Are...

By Mark Bowser

Without a doubt, there are two elements that all successful people share. If that is true, and it is, then shouldn’t we seek the same knowledge and training if we want to be successful too? Of course. It makes sense, doesn’t it?


Well, then what are these two elements of knowledge? The two elements that all successful people share are Leadership Perspective and Selling Success. If was John C. Maxwell who said, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” And, Zig Ziglar expressed, “Nothing happens until someone sells something.”

Let’s take a peek at these two elements and see how they fit in with our lives. Let’s start with Leadership. We are all leaders. No, you may not lead an organization, a department, or a social club, but you are still a leader. The first person you lead is yourself and from there you lead the people around you.

In his book, Spiritual Leadership, J. Oswald Sanders defines leadership with one word and one word alone. That word is “influence.” The truth of the matter is that we all influence people every single day. It may be as simple as influencing your co-workers on where to eat lunch today or as important as influencing your 15 year old daughter not to get on drugs. We are all leaders…and it is vital that we improve and increase our influence for the sake of not only ourselves, but more importantly for all the people around us.

The second element is Selling Success. This is one where many people get confused. You may be thinking, “Mark, I’m not in sales. Don’t even want to be. Nothing against salespeople, it just isn’t my thing.” Well, let me correct you right there. Selling is your thing. That is, if you want to be successful. Listen to Zig’s words again, “Nothing happens until someone sells something.” We sell every single day. No, you may not be in the world of selling as a career but you still sell. We sell ourselves, our ideas, our beliefs, our knowledge, etc… If you can’t sell these things, then nothing happens in your life. You are like a boat on a lake with no oars. You get pushed and shoved by the waves of life with no control, no direction, and no focused success.

Earlier, we said that leadership is “influence.” Couldn’t we say the same thing about selling. Think about that teenage daughter pondering about taking drugs. Doesn’t it take a selling influence to persuade her not to walk that path? Parents are some of the most influential sales professionals on the planet.

Now, let’s talk just for a moment about the people who are in the world of selling as their career. Our whole economy is based on selling. Successful selling creates growth for a nation. We, as a nation, need to be grateful and appreciative for our sales professionals. In a very real sense, we all have jobs because someone went out there and sold something.

How do we get out of a recession? How do we create more jobs? How do we springboard this economy? By taking unnecessary regulations off the back of American business’ and by training effectively at least 4 million sales professionals throughout the nation. I can help us with that. That is what I do. I train leaders and I train sales professionals. That is my contribution to the marketplace. And I am committed to doing everything I can to increase my influence in these areas. So, let me close today with two questions. Where is your influence? And, are you willing to commit to increasing that influence? Now, go out there…and make it happen! God bless you!

Lead Yourself First!

By Mark Bowser
http://www.markbowser.com/

It was Zig Ziglar who said that “You must manage yourself before you can lead someone else.” Not a truer statement was ever said. Let me give you a thought to ponder. If you are reactive, blowing off some steam, and saying a few choice, shall we say, colorful descriptions, is it conceivable that your children will do the same thing? You may be thinking, “But, Mark, I don’t say those words in front of my children?” Are you sure? Our character is with us all the time. They will pick up on it in very subtle ways.



Let’s say you are a supervisor of a team of 50 sales professionals. They will treat your customers and prospects the same way that you treat them. Are you honest, kind, helpful, motivational, and positive in all your dealings with them?


The truth of the matter is that we all drop the ball. None of us is perfect. I encourage you to focus on your own personal development and growth. This is where your leadership needs to begin and end. When your leadership development is bookended with yourself, you will discover that much of the middle will take care of itself.

Example is Great Leadership!

Good morning Leaders!

Here is a great Leadership Thought to start out our week.

"Example has more followers than reason."
Christian Bovee

Now, go out and set a great example for your team.  God bless you!

Mark

Leadership Lessons: Coach by asking Questions

Good afternoon Leaders

As a leader, we do a great deal of coaching.  Wouldn't you agree?  Well, to coach effectively, we have to listen to our team members.  As we approach this holiday weekend here in America, I encourage you to ponder the following thought.

"When coaching (and leading), don't do too much telling. Continue to ask questions, listen...then teach if needed."
Mark Bowser

Have a great Leadership Day. God bless!

Mark
Jeremiah 29:11

Integrity is Everything for a Leader

Good morning Leaders,

Here are some words to ponder as you go through your leadership day.

"Guard your integrity as a priceless element...because it is."
Mark Bowser

Make it a great leadership day full of influence. God bless you.

Mark

JEREMIAH 29:11

Influence Someone Today by Helping Them Help Themself

Good morning Leaders!

It was Henry Ford who said, "Time and money spent in helping men to do more for themselves is far better than mere giving."  Wise words.  Serve the men and women on your team by teaching them to help themselves. 

Make it a great day! God bless you!

Mark Bowser

Corporate Leadership Training: Great Leaders Capture the Power of Vision

By Mark Bowser
Motivational Business Speaker

Mark Bowser knows his stuff when it comes to Corporate Training and Leadership Success. Enjoy this inspiring article from one of the world's best corporate trainers.

MarkBowser.com Editor



Throughout time, great leaders have always had vision. Vision is one of the most important elements to being a champion. The Ancient Writer states it this way, "Where there is no vision, the people perish. Vision keeps us on track. It even shows us where the track is. So, if vision is so important to success and happiness then where do we get it? That is not an easy question. One way is to ask yourself where you want to be ten years down the road? What will you have accomplished? Where will you live? Who will be with you? Questions like these will help you discover your inner vision for your life.

I believe that there are two elements we have to keep in mind if we are to be successful with our leadership vision. One, the vision needs to be a challenging vision to stretch you and your team (REMEMBER: In order to reach your vision, you are going to need to get people on board with it which means you have to lead them. Every great leader has a vision that is worthy of following and the confidence and integrity to get people to follow them).

When I think about a leader with a challenging vision, I think of President John F. Kennedy. In 1961, he stood before the nation and said, "I believe this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before the decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth." That would be a challenging vision for NASA to repeat today let alone in 1961.

Let me remind you where we were when JFK made that statement. In 1961, we had just successfully launched Alan Shepherd into space as the first American into space. Up until that point we had had failure after failure. It was a miracle we didn't kill Alan Shepherd in the attempt to get him up there. Rocket after rocket had blown up in our faces. The Soviet Union was stomping on us in the space race.

Then, we have one success and President Kennedy said we are going to the moon. Our scientist probably wanted to send him to the moon. What an outrageous statement. Did we know how to accomplish it? Probably not. Was it possible? Some of them probably weren't sure. But what happened at 4:17 P.M. in the afternoon on Sunday July 20, 1969? The spacecraft ever so smoothly landed on the lunar surface. Neil Armstrong called back to earth, "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed." Later, as he and Buzz Aldrin stepped out of Eagle onto the moon, Neil said, "That is one small step for man one giant leap for mankind." We had done it! We had landed two men on the moon and we did return them safely back home to earth. You see, a challenging vision isn't one you necessarily have all the answers to at the beginning, but one that will stretch you to accomplish something you didn't know you were capable of. It makes you stronger and better.

The second thing we have to keep in mind in order to make our vision a reality is the courage to put it into action. Michele Borba tells a story about Rocky Lyons. When Rocky was five years old, he and his mother Kelly were traveling in their pickup truck down a country two lane road. Rocky was asleep with his legs resting on his mother's lap. When they turned onto a narrow bridge, the truck hit a pothole. Trying to get the truck out of a rut, Kelly sped up and turned the steering wheel. Rocky's foot got caught between the steering wheel and Kelly's leg and she lost control of the vehicle. The truck tumbled over a 20-foot ravine.

The crash woke up Rocky. He looked at his mother and said, "What happened, Mama?" Kelly was hurt bad. She was covered with blood. Rocky said, "I'll get you out, Mama." He crawled out the window and tried to pull his mother out of the truck. It didn't work. He climbed back into the truck and somehow used his 40-pound body to push his 104-pound mother out of the wreckage.

Rocky was planning on climbing to the top of the ravine to get help for his mother. Fearing he would get hurt, Kelly refused to let him go by himself. Inch by inch they struggled along. Rocky not only had a vision to save his mother, he also knew how to motivate her to success. He told his mother to remember that little train. He was referring to the train in that children's classic The Little Engine that Could. In Rocky's own version of that famous line, he kept motivating his mother by saying, "I know you can, I know you can."

Well, they made it to the top and Rocky flagged down a vehicle. They got Kelly to the hospital and after 8 hours of surgery and 344 stitches, she was put back together. She looks much different today then she did before the crash. BUT SHE IS ALIVE! She is alive because a five-year-old boy had a vision to save his mother and the courage to put it into action. Rocky just did what he had to do. He wasn't trying to be a hero. He just did what he was called to do.

That is what vision is all about. A challenging vision which will get you out of your comfort zone and the courage to put it into action. What is your vision? Is it to change the entire world or just your corner of it? Whatever it is; wherever it is, GET THAT VISION AND MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Take some time right this moment to think about and answer the following questions. Then, come up with 3 action steps to start the ball rolling towards your vision.


1. If you knew you could not fail, what would you want to accomplish?

2. Where do you want to be in your career in five years?


3. Where do you want to be with your relationships in five years?


4. If you were able to hear the eulogy at your funeral, what would you like to be said about you?

Corporate Training: The Influential Leader Empowers

By Mark Bowser


It was leadership experts John Maxwell and Jim Dornan who said When you empower people, you're not influencing just them; you're influencing all the people they influence. But, what exactly is empowerment? It is a buzz word that we hear all the time, but what does it really mean? Well, the word empowerment can be defined as to give the ability to. So, when we empower someone we are actually giving them the ability to do something.


The problem with empowerment is in how we give it to someone. We walk up to team member Jane and we say, Jane, project ABC is now your baby. It is your project. Make it happen. Oh, by the way, if you need to make any changes, then come check with me first. Do you see what just happened? We just handcuffed Jane. We gave her the responsibility for project ABC but we didnt give her any authority. That is not empowerment.


Empowerment is actually an equation. It is not an equation original with me but very accurate and very powerful.



Empowerment = Responsibility + Authority


That is true empowerment. We give Jane the ability to do project ABC by not only giving her responsibility but also the authority to make decisions to make it happen. That not only empowers her but also begins developing her leadership skills. It also frees us up so that we can focus on the things that only we can do. We must never micro-manage people. When we empower Jane, it frees her and us to be our best. It also makes the team stronger. We become a leadership focused team where we are developing everyones leadership abilities.


You might be saying, But what if Jane messes up? If she does, that is not a big deal. Use it as a teachable moment. We all mess up from time to time. When we learn from our mistakes, they actually make us stronger and draw us closer to our goals completion.


Another point to remember is that we cant empower every team member the same way. Why? Because not everyone has the same experience or gifts. If we over-empower someone then they are over their head and they begin to drown. I have seen this happen and it not only is devastating for the team member but also the team. Everyone is an individual and we must lead them to success at their own pace. Help each member on your team be the best they can be..and your success (and theirs) is secure.


So, how do we do this? Well, we start with what are the qualifications to empower. Do we have the qualifications to empower this team member? It is a good question. Lets explore the answer together. There are four qualifications that I believe must be present in order to effectively empower someone.


One, position. Fred Smith said, Who can give permission for another to succeed? A person in authority. Others can encourage, but permission comes only from an authority figure: a parent, boss, or pastor. Mr. Smith is right. Are you a person of authority with this person you seek to empower? If not, you cant empower them. You can motivate and inspire them but not empower them. You must have the position to truly empower someone.


Two, relationship. You must have some sort of a relationship with them. If they have very little contact with you, then you wont be able to effectively empower them. Even if you are their boss, you cant empower them unless you have a working relationship with them.


Three, respect. There has to be a mutual respect with each other for the empowering relationship to be truly effective.


Four, commitment. There needs to be a commitment on your part as a leader. You are in it for the long haul. You dont give them their assignment and then disappear to another project. As a leader, you need to be available. Available for guidance, available for strength, and available for help. The team member needs to be committed to you as their leader and to the organization to do the very best job they can. The commitment to go the extra mile, to give that extra amount.


Those are the four qualifications to empower someone. Once they are in place, we can move to the empowering process itself. There are also four keys to empowering people.


How To Empower People

1. Discover their strengths

2. Develop their strengths

3. Give them a project

4. Help them succeed


First, we have to discover their strengths by observing them. Second, like a great coach, we must help them develop their strengths. Their strength is like a muscle. Without use, it gets weak. With constant use, it grows strong and powerful.


The third thing we must do to empower them is give them a place to use it. A basketball player might have a sweet jump shot but it doesnt really do any good until the coach puts him in the game. We must put them in the game. Once they are in the game, we move to the fourth thing which is to help them succeed. Chances are they will make some errors. Not a big deal. Coach them to success. Even Michael Jordan needed a coach. We all do. A great coach can pull out the best from their team members.


So, do you sometimes feel overwhelmed at work? Too much to do and not enough hands to do it? Or is it you havent empowered those hands to do it? Take a good look at your winning team and start empowering them today.

Make 2011 a Great Year of Influence

Happy New Year Leaders!

Here is a simple reminder for all of us of what leadership is really all about. 

"Leadership is influence."
John C. Maxwell

Now, let's go out and work to increase our influence.  God bless you!

Mark Bowser