More than 10 years ago, I had the privilege to co-author The Secret with Ken Blanchard, a book about Chick-fil-A’s point of view on leadership. It was a lot of fun doing the book with Ken and even more fun talking to groups all over the world about leadership. What I didn’t expect was the question that I received over and over again… “We’ve read The Secret, what’s next?”

In the beginning, I wasn’t really sure what people wanted to know. Were they asking about my next book? Did they want to know my career plans or what time my flight was going to leave? Most often, it was none of the above. Leaders around the world appreciated the lessons we tried to convey in the book, but they had an intuitive sense, informed by their experience, that the book was not the end of the conversation. They were right.

What organizations desperately need is not just a point-of-view on leadership, they need a leadership culture. I define a leadership culture as a place in which leaders are routinely and systematically produced. In a leadership culture, it is not unusual when there is a surplus of qualified leadership candidates for an open position.

Here are five keys to creating a leadership culture.

Define it – Does your organization have an agreed upon definition of leadership? If not, that’s the starting point.

Train it – Having a definition is critical but insufficient alone. Can your leaders deliver on your definition? Some can, I’m sure, but training is probably required – at least for emerging leaders. Leadership skills are not innate.

Practice it – Do you give emerging leaders the opportunity to lead? Most of what leaders learn about leadership they learn from leading. Give them the chance to practice by actually letting them lead.

Measure it – This can take many forms – Performance reviews; 360 feedback; “Readiness for Next Opportunity.” Then there’s always the “9 Box” popularized by G.E. which evaluates leaders on two dimensions – performance and alignment with organizational values. You can even measure participation in leadership training.

Model it – If your existing leaders are not showing people what great leadership looks like in your organization; if they aren’t working diligently to demonstrate the attributes outlined in your definition of leadership, none of the previous ideas will have much impact.

How deep is your leadership bench?

Originally published on GreatLeadersServe.com

Success is a lousy teacher. The best leaders know this and are always on guard against complacency. I recently received a question from a leader who has just completed a season of success. She is concerned her team won’t stay motivated.  How do you keep your team fully engaged in the wake of success?

This is a very thoughtful question. Most leaders are focused on “What’s next?” as we should be. However, the leader who posed this question has an intuitive sense that a let down could be around the corner. Without her leadership, she may be right.

Success can take a toll on people – mentally, physically and emotionally. It’s good to be aware of the risk; and like any other risk, you need to manage it. Here are a few ideas to help your team cope with success and use it as the springboard for greater things to come.

Stop and Celebrate

Have you ever noticed, work never ends? This endless stream of activity can be exhausting if not debilitating. One of the ways we can manage the pace, energy and engagement of our team is to ensure frequent, appropriate celebrations. These can provide microbursts of enthusiasm for the cause and remind people: they matter and so does the work.

Capture Learnings

Even when your team wins, there are lessons to be learned. If you’ll cultivate the discipline of conducting After Action Reviews (the term the U.S. military uses for the briefing that occurs after every mission) to be sure you think deeply about what worked; what didn’t and what can be improved, this will create energy in the moment and momentum for your next challenge.

Set a New Goal

There’s tremendous power in setting a goal. Work without a goal can seem fruitless. Think of a time you were fully engaged in your work. I’m guessing several factors were present: You were doing work that mattered; you knew how your work contributed; you were operating in an area of strength if not passion. The list could go on. I’m also confident, there was a goal. You knew what you were trying to accomplish.

Pay Attention

Often, our teams will tire before we will. And, individual members of the team have unique needs. If we get too focused, we’ll miss the clues that someone is struggling. Whatever works for you to stay connected with your team members is a good approach. Don’t make too many assumptions regarding the energy and engagement of the team. One of my favorite ways to stay in touch over the years is one-on-one time with individual team members. The time investment always returns big dividends for the organization and me.

Success doesn’t have to serve as the preamble to decline. With focused effort, you can use each victory as a stepping stone to your next accomplishment.

Mark Miller, Vice President of Organizational Effectiveness for Chick-fil-A, believes that leadership is not something that’s exclusive; within the grasp of an elite few, but beyond the reach of everyone else.  In the tenth anniversary edition of The Secret, Miller reminds readers of a seemingly contradictory concept: to lead is to serve. With more than 600,000 books in print, Mark has been surprised by the response and delighted to serve leaders through his writing.

The 10^th anniversary edition of The Secret will be released September 2, 2014.

I distinctly remember the first time I ever heard Captain Tucker tell us that he loved us. Captain Tucker was the platoon commander charged with instilling in us the art and science of becoming Officers in the Marine Corps. As you might imagine, this raised some eyebrows. Captain Tucker is still to this day the hardest Marine I have ever met. As a Purple Heart recipient, he could have ordered us to follow him to hell and back, and none of us would have hesitated. So why would such a man openly tell a bunch of new Lieutenants that he loved us?

When We Talk About Service and Sacrifice, We Really Mean Love

When one thinks of the military, the idea of service and sacrifice appropriately come to mind. Any Marine would quickly tell you that his motivation comes from a duty to serve his fellow Marines and fellow Americans. Love, however, is perhaps a more powerful and apt identifier of what it means to be a Marine – and also to be a leader. At its most fundamental level, love implies sacrifice, and conversely, genuine sacrifice or service cannot exist absent of love. What good are our claims of loving our neighbor (or followers) if they don’t translate into sacrifice?

Love very naturally translates into the core values on which our Marine ethos is built, that is: Honor, Courage, and Commitment. Honor recognizes, endorses, and protects the dignity inherent in every human being. Courage is the ability to act honorably, even when it seems impossible. Commitment is the resolve to hold on to the other two at all costs. For an elite warrior class where effective leadership is a matter of life and death, we sure do talk a lot about love.

Without Love, Effective Leadership Is Impossible

Anyone with more than a tertiary knowledge of leadership knows the value of servant leadership, which defines the most effective leader as the one who serves those he leads. This isn’t just “a” form of leadership, it is “the” form of leadership. A true leader isn’t driven by what’s in it for him. He cares about how he can develop those around him for their sake and for the team’s sake, rather than his own sake. The leader who cares more about what his men can do for him than what he can do for them isn’t a leader, he’s a manipulator. A non-servant leader does such things as lie, unjustly accuse, and cut corners in order to enhance his position for the most profitable gain – all at the expense of those he is supposed to lead. Unfortunately, in many occupations this is such a subtle deviation from true leadership that it has become normalized and acceptable. In my occupation, dishonesty, a lack of justice, and cutting corners means Marines die. In your occupation, inept leadership may not result in lost lives, but rather losing the breath of life that powers your organization. The price is simply too high not to love and sacrifice for those you lead.

True Leadership Isn’t About You

As an Officer of Marines, my sole purpose for existence is to accomplish the mission and to serve my Marines. Enlisted Marines (i.e. non-officers) are the ones who get stuff done. To not serve them undermines both justifications for my existence (i.e. the mission and my Marines). Ask any enlisted Marine and he will tell you that if you care about him, he’ll follow you to hell and back. My job as an officer is to set the parameters (e.g. timing, tactics, rules of engagement, etc…) within which they can work and then support them in every way possible. In the same way, a healthy organization doesn’t run simply on the competence of senior leadership. It runs because the average employees have enough buy-in to put their nose to the grindstone and get the job done. I promise you that if you let Joe Employee know you sincerely care about him (and by that I mean support as well as sentiment), you’ll see a level of buy-in and output that you never knew was possible.

True leadership isn’t about you. It’s about leveraging your influence to love and serve those you have the privilege to lead. Ruthlessly holding yourself to this standard is your duty to yourself, your coworkers, your family and your country. And it is the lifeblood that makes all of these institutions successful.

Semper Fidelis.

Three months ago, if someone had asked me what I could learn from the Communist Party, I would have jokingly replied, “How not to run a government.”

However, since then, I read Douglas Hyde’s book, Dedication and Leadership. Hyde was a news editor of the Communist newspaper London Daily Worker and outspoken Party member during and after WWII – in Great Britain no less. Finally coming to the realization that the Communist philosophy is intrinsically flawed, Hyde resigned from the Party but argued that the Communist leadership methods are, in many cases, extremely effective and worth emulating. “Never in man’s history has a small group of people set out to win the world and achieved more in less time,” he wrote. In his book, Hyde demonstrated that the techniques Communism used to create leaders and spread its influence are not “Communist” techniques at all. They are, in fact, very effective and powerful strategies anyone can use to instill dedication and leadership in others.

Here are a few of the strategies that Douglas Hyde revealed from the Communist Party:

Give people something grand to aspire toward.

The Communists gave their new recruits a grand cause worth fighting for. They understood the idealism of youth and dramatically appealed to it. Members were recruited to lead for the cause, not themselves. Of course, it was equally important to show every person how they fit into the “great struggle for mankind.” But the Communists believed before you can show a person what role they will play, you must first give them a copy of the entire script—they have to see why the seemingly mundane things they are doing really help to create a new and better world.

Ask a lot. Expect a lot. Get a lot.

When a person converted to Communism, they came prepared to give—extravagantly. Why did the Communist Party get this kind of response? Mostly because they asked for it. “…Communism demanded everything…it asked for the whole man and got it,” Hyde wrote. The Party proactively set expectations so that recruits were already prepared to sacrifice until it hurt. People respond in the same degree that they are asked; if you ask for little, you will get little in return. So be bold. Don’t beg for bare the minimum. Make huge asks—and watch as people rise to the occasion.

Use Trial by Fire to Build Commitment.

Once new recruits joined the Party, they were immediately given a task to recruit others in public settings for several reasons. First, when a person is actually investing time and energy into something, they are much more likely to remain committed to it. Second, it gave them a chance to apply and defend what they had already learned. Third, since they were still new, they would inevitably fail to respond to the tough opposition, which convinced them of their inadequacy and built a stronger appetite for further learning. In this way, further development met a felt need.

Hyde was not the only person to leave the Communist Party after becoming disillusioned with the basic ideology. Yet many dissenters were conflicted since they had joined for all the “right” reasons. Wrote Hyde, “I have had former Communists say to me: ‘Even though I now see the evil in Communism, I still believe that when I joined the Communist Party it was the biggest and best decision I made in my life. It was the most unselfish thing I ever did.'”

Ideas have consequences. For that reason it’s important to realize that leadership isn’t “right and wrong.” In some cases, it’s life and death. That’s what makes dedication so important.

How can you use these strategies to inspire dedication in your followers?

How do you answer the question?

I recently had an article featured on Dan Black’s leadership site entitled The Three Simple Keys to Strategic Leadership. In it, I encourage you to think of leadership beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and specifically address the strategic component. After all, leaders don’t just influence people to feel a certain way, they influence change (tweet). Without the strategic side of leadership, teams lack focus and can never reach beyond the status quo. And here’s the kicker – they can’t do it alone.

Read about the three things strategic leaders always do here on Dan Black’s site.

Nathan Magnuson is a leadership consultant, coach, trainer and thought leader.  Receive his new ebook Trusted Leadership Advisor by subscribing to his website  or follow him on Twitter.

As I reflect on the three years that I have worked in corporate sales and negotiations in the communications and media industry, I have been thinking about what we can all apply from some fundamental “sales” principles into our daily working routines – whatever area we may work in.

I think my lessons can be distilled into these three priorities.

Stop.

This may seem counter intuitive, but there is real value in pausing during our chaotic schedules and blocking out time between meetings. Our culture is obsessed with time-to-record and time-to-implement type standards. Even in our most innovative commercial enterprises, implementation measures have become much more stringent, particularly since 2008.  This can encourage hasty and simplistic decision-making across the organization.

When it comes to sales leadership, I have found that creating sensible personal checkpoints is key to aligning my daily agenda with the client’s agenda. My clients have been most satisfied when we have come across mismatches of expectations on that particular day – NOT two weeks later. The time we take to stop and compare expectations means we can reconfigure, begin again, and then meet appropriate deadlines.

WIN-WIN: Clients understand and approve what has been accomplished and what is left to accomplish. Carve out time to stop today.

Collaborate.

During my first annual reviews, the question that really stumped me was, “what is your definable skill set?” Beyond communication and PowerPoint, I was never sure what the school answer was for me. Three years in, I realize my ability to pull in WHO I need WHEN I need them is probably my best asset. At the heart of a successful sales team is a trusted network you can rely on to provide the latest information, both inside and outside of your workplace. Building such a network means you’ll have to invest significant time and also share some of the glory. But it also means you’ll have access to a group of people with the knowledge and ability to help your clients in almost every scenario.

WIN-WIN:  Clients have access to a web of expert’s knowledge beyond any one person’s limited experience. Invest in collaboration now, even if you don’t have the opportunities in front of you that require that knowledge.

Listen.

Listen to what the client says, every day. Too often we are preoccupied with our strategies to win, and our strategies to grow their business. Too often we haven’t heard the subtle nuances in their language in the information they choose to share with us. I spent 6 months of my life working on an opportunity that we ended up losing due to lack of trust in the relationship. Unfortunately, we had this feedback on week 1, yet we relied on a strong solution and an “expert team” to make the sale. Quite frankly it doesn’t matter what you are an expert in unless the client wants to buy you. Ultimately, people buy people.

WIN-WIN: The client feels understood and part of the entire process. Listen to what your clients are saying so you can gain their trust and understand where you need to work together more closely.

So whether you work in sales or simply need to “sell” an idea to someone else, make sure you take time to

STOP

COLLABORATE

And

LISTEN.

What other basic sales tips should all leaders be aware of?

Last month I had the privilege to write a guest post on Eric Jacobson’s leadership blog. I shared the 9 principles Dale Carnegie taught on how to be a leader. (Dale Carnegie is author of the classic book How to Win Friends and Influence People). This was one of the most enjoyable posts I’ve ever written. Whether this is your first leadership role or you are a seasoned veteran, if you are experiencing a leadership challenge, I trust this post will truly come in handy.

View my post on How to Be a Leader – 9 Principles from Dale Carnegie here.

Nathan Magnuson is a leadership consultant, coach, trainer and thought leader.  Receive his ebook Trusted Leadership Advisor by subscribing to his website or   follow him on Twitter.

When I was 19 years old, I read my first book on leadership, Be a People Person by John Maxwell. I devoured that book. Today, 15 years later, I am convinced that leadership is crucial if we are going to reach our goals and live out our dreams.

Why? Because if you have big dreams, you will not be able to accomplish them by yourself. You will need other people.

How do you become a leader? I submit to you 5 thoughts.

1. Realize that you are a leader

Leadership, at its core, is about influencing others. It is not about titles. All of us, in one way or another, influence other people. Once you come to the realization that you are a leader, then you can take responsibility for your leadership.

2. Start with yourself

Once you realize that you are a leader, start leading. Begin with yourself. Great leaders lead by example.

3. Learn more about leadership

Learning about leadership will help you grow as a leader. Here is were I would start:

7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

The 7 Habits will help you to lead yourself and begin to work with others.

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell

The 21 Laws will give you a great primer on leadership by a great teacher.

4. Seek out a mentor

Another way to learn about leadership is to ask someone to mentor you.

You can be mentored through books, audio & video programs, and other resources.

But having a leader who is further along on his or her leadership journey and is able to encourage you and speak specifically to you right where you are at will add another dimension to your development.

How do you get someone to mentor you? Ask. It’s that simple.

5. Pursue new opportunities

The best way to learn leadership is to lead. By pursuing new opportunities you can gain experience and become a better leader.

You can do this through volunteering outside of work, taking on new projects at work, or pursuing other opportunities to take on new responsibilities.

Whatever you do, if you want to be a better leader, do something. And start today!

What are some other ways people can grow as leaders?

I got to meet Dan Black at a conference in San Diego

Has anyone ever asked you how to become a better leader?  I still remember the first time that happened to me.  I wasn’t prepared to answer, but at the same time, I was the one being asked.  I’ve come to realize if you can find a way to do three things well, people will seek you for when they need leadership answers.

Read about the three ways to become a trusted leadership advisor on Dan’s blog.

Nathan Magnuson is a leadership consultant, coach, trainer and thought leader.  Receive his ebook Trusted Leadership Advisor by subscribing to his website or   follow him on Twitter.