We all walk this earth for a reason, and we all enjoy many different powers. Each of us has a power or influence over another person, and each of us is influenced by other powerful people. Most of us know many of the powers we have while others might not see some. Certainly, each of us see many powerful people throughout society and acknowledge the powers that they have earned, inherited, or gained in some other way. However, many misuse or take these powers for granted; many an individual, company, and organization have misappropriated these powers and abused them. Simply look at the newspaper or online blogosphere, and you will find numerous examples outlined and highlighted wherein some powers have gotten to people’s heads. In some cases, they thought they were invincible and impervious to demise. These various examples of power and potential misuse of that power can be observed in some many aspects of life – whether personal or professional. However, it is critically important that we all remember what Peter Parker (Spiderman) and Uncle Ben highlighted – “With great power comes great responsibility.” This popular quote seems to have been inspired by the Bible verse, “from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:48 NIV). Both are quite powerful reminders that we all should follow!

No matter if you are a CEO in today’s top organization, a powerful community leader, a strong family member, or a captain of a team, so many have great power and influence over others. However, for this power to be optimized, truly used for the greater good, and not squandered away, we all must be sure to know the responsibilities that come with the powers we have. We must step up and be a proactive leader because so many are relying on us to do right and do good things with the powers that we have. While there are always temptations to be greedy and selfish, we must turn away these temptations. If we do not, we could easily lose these powerful gifts that we currently possess. Lead the way and take your powers over others seriously. With any power comes a great deal of responsibility, and we all need to do our part to act in a right and moral way! Don’t be the next greedy business “leader,” politician, husband, father, or mid-level manager; instead, I challenge you to take the high road… the right road… and take your powers seriously!

All of us have decisions that we make on a minute-by-minute basis. Some of these decisions are much larger in scope and influence than others. Some affect just you, your family, or your company while other decisions reach a much broader level of influence, affecting many more lives. With every decision comes a reaction – the basic cause-and-effect scenario that we all learned about early on in our lives. Sometimes, we make great decisions, and yet there are other times wherein, in hindsight, our decisions were blurred and found to be incorrect. Either way, if we are to be a true leader, we must hold ourselves accountable for the decisions that we make. We cannot scapegoat others when our feet are rightfully placed to the fire.

A true leader accepts the responsibility for his or her individual actions and decisions, no matter if those actions and decisions were good or bad. If the decisions were great, it is okay to accept a quick pat on the back. If the decisions were terrible, it is time to accept the responsibility for those decisions and quickly find a way to work to resolve the situation as best as possible. And then, a great leader will take heed of this experience and learn from the mistaken decision in an effort to ensure that it never happens again.

We all can easily turn on the television and watch the news or simply find breaking news articles and blogs online that all point to a debatable circumstance that is currently happening wherein the people or companies are not being accountable for their own actions. Examples are plentiful, including a few of my current favorites. Many people were angry at Tiger Woods and his lack of initial accountability when dealing with his numerous cases of infidelity. More recently, there is ever-growing outrage over the BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Of course, political candidates and officials tend to find scapegoats along the way too.

Personally, I cannot see any way around holding yourself accountable for your own actions if you want to be the best leader possible. If you do not hold yourself responsible and accountable for what you do or decide, how can you then hold others accountable for what they do or say?

Successful, two-way communication is truly a key to anyone’s success. When it comes to leading, possibly no other trait is as powerful as listening. Scratch that – listening is really not enough. Instead, leaders need to be active participants in the listening process. As the former leader of Chrysler, Lee Iacocca, notes in his autobiography that “too many people fail to realize that real communication goes in both directions.” So many people want to tell others what to do without getting any feedback. I am sure there are times and places for such direct orders (i.e. on the battlefield while in the middle of combat), but, when the opportunity arises, a leader takes a few extra moments to listen and absorb what others feel and think. The leader tends not to rush to judgment; instead, he or she gives those under his direction a chance to speak and share their ideas and perspectives. Experts like Warren Bennis even acknowledge the great importance of active listening and openness to becoming be great leader!

Here are five other articles that I would recommend for your reading and leadership learning pleasure:

-          The six skills for successful active listening by George Ambley

-          Ways good leaders listen to others by J.B. Blend

-          How good leaders listen by Todd Pheifer

-          Leaders Must Listen With Their Eyes and With Purpose by Leanne Hoagland-Smith

-          Irony of opposition leaders by Scott DeRue

There are managers, and then there are leaders. We should not confuse the two; while leaders do manage, not all managers lead. Of course, one of the best ways to lead a tribe is to do so by setting the example. Leading from the front takes courage, but it can really make all the difference in the world. When you are a leader, you have a following, and your followers are counting on you to set the standard.

For example, those under your direction look up to you as a leader and expect you to do certain things, like:

-          Arrive to work early and/or stay late

-          Stand up for what is right

-          Ensure that favoritism is avoided at all costs

-          Willing to step in to help when the going gets tough

-          Follow the rules

-          Don’t abuse your authority

Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only thing. (Albert Schweitzer)

If you can set the example for your followers within the tribe, so much more productivity and motivation can be achieved. It is amazing just how something that appears so small can make such an impact! Tribal members need the leaders to engage, participate, and set an example. It is my great understanding that actions speak so much louder than words. It does not take much to talk a good game, but it does take discipline and leadership to act according to what we say! Being a leader is not easy; otherwise, everyone would be one. One way to become a better leader is to set an example and lead the way from the front!

Leading is a difficult challenge, and leading takes many different forms, but I feel that there are a few traits common to most leaders. One of those is the art of taking a risk!

As Leo F. Buscaglia once famously said… “The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing, and becomes nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn and feel and change and grow and love and live.”

Risk-taking is not a new thing, for we all take calculated risks on a daily basis; however, some do more than others! Also, some people do not make calculated risks (with little to no pre-planning), for they sometimes just wing it, and that does not always end up desirable! In today’s face-paced world, time is of the essence, and those who can make a confident decision and act upon it tend to get rewarded more than those who wait and wait until all of the facts come out.

Here are a few examples: First, think about the successful technology companies out there like Microsoft and Google. Do you see them waiting until they have all of the pieces together before launching something? Or do you see them risk it and push out a solid product that they will continue to improve as required? Second, think about the first time you tried something new at a restaurant. I have recently tried sushi and vegan entrees for the first time in my life; talk about a small but important risk. As a result, I now know what new things I like and dislike! Third, have you ever decided to ride that roller coaster or skydive from an airplane? Those are both risks, but many see great rewards in each – I certainly do! Lastly, have you ever seen the guy that sees the girl across the bar and never approaches? He was acting very risk-averse – afraid of rejection. Imagine what could have been if he just risked a little and stepped out on that limb! The possibilities and opportunities are endless!

Chris Widener notes that “Most people are risk averse. Not the leader!” Furthermore, Chris asks the following: “Are you known as a person who is willing to take risks? If so, you will become an extraordinary leader!”

So, should you just take every risk that comes to mind? Probably not. Instead, I feel that you should assess all of your options and take those risks that you feel will bring you closer to achieving your ultimate goals. I try to do just that and encourage everyone else to strive to do the same! If you want something or someone, go for it! A little pre-planning and thought will also go a long way, but, at the end of the day, you cannot climb the challenging wall without first taking that risk! Be a leader and take the calculated risk, for you may just surprise yourself and even a few others!