My Take On: What Makes a Great Leader?

I have always been interested in leadership. I have always thought about men like Gandhi, Martin Luther King, or Thomas Jefferson. As long as I can remember I have always looked for the secrets that made these leaders so great. That made it so that we still remember their names today. What makes a person a great leader? The thing about being interested in something is you can’t help but learn an incredible amount about it. This is everything I’ve learned so far.

Great leaders have a story.
Humans think in stories, its actually the number one way we learn. A great leader takes a simple story, a simple needed message, and doesn’t just tell it, they embody it. For Gandhi the story was that India needed its independence, and that the only people who could be governed were a people who chose to obey. Every leader has a story, its what makes us respect them in the first place.

Great leaders are servants.
The role of a leader is not to be over people, but to become a servant to a message and to every person who may benefit from this message. They know that if example is the highest form of leadership and it is service that is needed than an example of service must be set.

Great leaders don’t care who gets the credit.
They just want their message spread in the best possible way. Whether that means them leading the crowd or not.

Great leaders take time for themselves.
Every major leader in history made a regular habit of getting away from the influence and demands of every one else for a little while to spend some time working on there own beliefs. If you are always around the same crowd you will all start to think alike, and than who will come up with new ideas?

Great leaders offer something of value.
If nobody needs something than there is no story tell, there is no service to be given, and thus there is no opportunity for leadership. Leadership is about offering value to your supporters and your team.

Great leaders call out the best in people.
The do not accept the idea that other men should be less than them. Instead they call out the best in each man, and show us what we can really be.

Great leaders are more concerned with their message than with what others might think.
Every major leader in history has had some voice condemn them. Gandhi broke the law and went to prison, Buddha challenged the major religion of his country, Jesus was crucified, and Martin Luther King was shot. These men all knew the risks that they were taking on. Their message was just more important to them, than whether anyone would agree, or even if it would of put their lives in danger.

Great leaders are passionate.
You can only promote something you don’t care about for so long before it gets to you. Every human is like this and great leaders are no exceptions. These people are just so passionate about what they are doing and what they are fighting for that it becomes infectious. We get excited about things when they are presented by someone who is excited about what they are doing and talking about.

Great leaders are down to earth.
Jefferson ironed his own socks. Gandhi did all of the servants work in the house. Jesus said “turn the other cheek”. They weren’t super humans, they were human, and that is what made them great.

They didn’t start off great. In fact, they didn’t even start as leaders. Whether anyone would have listened to them or not, they started, and through every struggle they kept going until they got good at it.

They did not give up. If you think its bad having your mom or dad tell you that your idea is bad imagine an entire culture tell you that you are wrong. This is the inevitable result of doing or saying something different from the norm. Even more impressive is that they didn’t give up before becoming accomplished at their goals.

“A professional is an amateur who did not give up”

So leadership takes a message that serves, puts passionate service to that message over ego, starts off small, and doesn’t give up. What leaders have you known with these traits? What other traits have you noticed in great leaders? What are you going to do about it?

James Boehm

Writing Your Personal Vision/Mission Statement

I recently spent some time revising my personal vision/mission statement. While doing this, it occurred to me that the vision I have for my work is closely related to my personal vision. Having a job that reflects my personal vision is powerful because it has allowed me to create a business life for myself that truly reflects who I am. Companies know all about vision and mission statements and getting their employees on board. Vision and mission statements propel the company in the direction that they want, and ultimately towards success. Many of us have spent countless hours working on these statements for our employers, and doing our part to contribute to their vision as a part of the team.

Much like a business, we, as human beings have a purpose or mission in life. What if we spent as much time getting to know who we are and what we want for ourselves? A personal vision/mission statement is the framework for creating a powerful life. Unlike a goal, a vision or mission rarely changes. It is a reason for our existence. It guides us in the decisions we make and the directions we take.

Your Personal Vision

Close your eyes and picture yourself in the future. It may be a few months or years from today. See the person you are; what you are doing, who you are with, what you have accomplished, what is important to you, and how people relate to you. How does it feel to be you? Feel the person you are, your true self. Now, open your eyes and see your life and yourself in the present, through those eyes. You will begin to notice the changes you need to make to honour this vision and lead a powerful life.

A Personal Vision is a picture of your True Self in the future. An effective personal vision includes all the important elements of your life and career; it is who you want to be, what you want to do, how you want to feel, what you want to own, and who you want to associate with. Although your personal vision helps you to see into the future, it must be grounded in the present. It is a statement of who you are, and who you are becoming. It is the framework for the process of creating your life.

Your vision is where you are headed, how you get there is your mission statement.

Your Personal Mission Statement

A Personal Mission Statement is how you will manifest your Personal Vision in your daily life. It may be a few words or several pages, but it is not a “to do” list. It reflects your uniqueness and must speak to you powerfully about the person you are and the person you are becoming. Remember, it’s okay to be where you are, while heading somewhere else. In fact, the only place you can start, is where you are right now. Having a personal vision does not mean your life changes overnight. But it will change. Your personal mission statement provides the steps to get you there.

Your Personal Mission Statement should answer three questions:

1. What is my life about (Purpose)?

2. What do I stand for (Values)?

3. What actions do I take to manifest my Purpose and my Values?

Stephen Covey writes that "an empowering Mission Statement…

• Represents the deepest and best within you. It comes out of a solid connection with your deep inner life.
• Is the fulfillment of your own unique gifts. It's the expression of your unique capacity to contribute.
• Addresses and integrates the four fundamental human needs and capacities in the physical, social/emotional, mental and spiritual dimensions.
• Deals with all the significant roles in your life. It represents a lifetime balance of personal, family, work, community-whatever roles you feel are yours to fill.
• Is written to inspire you-not to impress anyone else. It communicates to you and inspires you on the most essential level."

“Creating a Personal Mission Statement will be, without question, one of the most powerful and significant things you will ever do to take leadership of you life. In it you will identify the most important roles, relationships, and things in your life – who you want to be, what you want to do, to whom and what you want of give your life, the principles you want to anchor your life to, the legacy you want to leave. All the goals and decisions you will make in the future will be based upon it. It’s like deciding first which wall you want to lean your ladder of life against, and then beginning to climb. It will compass – a strong source of guidance amid the stormy seas and pressing, pulling currents of you life.”Stephen Covey, author or The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

A Personal Vision/Mission can help propel you into a new job, or make your present job work better for you. The more connected your Personal Vision/Mission is to yourself, the better it can guide your career and your life.

Every Month A Million and the Daily Dose Of Good

Life on Purpose: 15 Questions to Discover Your Personal Mission

I believe that we were all sent here for a reason and that we all have significance in the world. I genuinely feel that we are all blessed with unique gifts. The expression of our gifts contributes to a cause greater than ourselves.

First, a personal story

Last year, I was running at full speed; chasing after my dream of money and ‘success’. However, I had forgotten why I was running. Luckily, I met Jim (not his real name). Jim had achieved all the financial goals I was reaching for. He had financial independence, several successful businesses, homes in multiple countries, and the luxury to afford the finest things money could buy. Through hard work, persistence and sheer action; he had made it! But, Jim was not happy. He did not have the free time to enjoy his wealth. He wanted a family. He wanted peace. He wanted to live his life… but he was not able to. He had too many responsibilities, too much to lose, and too many things to protect. He had spent years building his castle, and now that it is complete, he is spending his time keeping it from eroding.

Getting to know Jim was a life altering and eye opening experience. His words snapped me out of my state of ‘unconsciousness’. It became clear to me that, “I did not want to spend the next 10 years chasing after money, only to find that I’ll be back at the same place I am at today; emotionally, mentally, and spiritually”. My ‘chase’ came to a screeching halt, everything was put on hold, and I spent the next two months re-evaluating my life and purpose.

These questions were running through my mind:

What am I chasing after? Why am I chasing it? What is my purpose? Why was I put here?

I took out a pen and paper started writing. It began by listing all the things that are most important to me. I wrote down all the things I wanted to do. I re-visited my personal mission statement. I decided that whatever venture I commit to must align with my personal mission, my values and my goals. For every new opportunity that comes along, I would ask myself how it aligns with my goals. Regardless of how much money I could acquire, if the venture did not align with where I wanted to be, then I would not pursue it.

Here is my personal mission statement:

“To Empower, motivate and inspire people to living happier and more fulfilled lives“.

Here are some of my values and goals:

What matters most is my connection with myself, being present and feeling blissful.

What I value most is having meaningful relationships with people. Being able to connect with people on deep levels.

I plan to be financially independent, and have control of my time and location. I plan to work only on projects and causes that I connect with. I plan to acquire my finances without violating my values, goals and personal mission.

I plan to travel and live in different parts of the world. Experiencing different cultures, documenting them in photographs and sharing them with others.

Having a family is important to me. I desire a deep, loving relationship with my spouse.

To live everyday fully as if it was my last.

15 Questions to Discover Your Life Purpose

I learned this from one of my mentors Rob Drobel
on one of our mlm training webinars here at
Every Month a Million.

The following are a list of questions that can assist you in discovering your purpose. They are meant as a guide to help you get into a frame of mind that will be conducive to defining your personal mission.

Simple Instructions:

Take out a few sheets of loose paper and a pen.

Find a place where you will not be interrupted. Turn off your cell phone.
Write the answers to each question down. Write the first thing that pops into your head. Write without editing. Use point form. It’s important to write out your answers rather than just thinking about them.

Write quickly. Give yourself less than 60 seconds a question. Preferably less than 30 seconds.

Be honest. Nobody will read it. It’s important to write without editing.

Enjoy the moment and smile as you write.

15 Questions:

1. What makes you smile? (Activities, people, events, hobbies, projects, etc.)

2. What are your favorite things to do in the past? What about now?

3. What activities make you lose track of time?

4. What makes you feel great about yourself?

5. Who inspires you most? (Anyone you know or do not know. Family, friends, authors, artists, leaders, etc.) Which qualities inspire you, in each person?

6. What are you naturally good at? (Skills, abilities, gifts etc.)

7. What do people typically ask you for help in?

8. If you had to teach something, what would you teach?

9. What would you regret not fully doing, being or having in your life?

10. You are now 90 years old, sitting on a rocking chair outside your porch; you can feel the spring breeze gently brushing against your face. You are blissful and happy, and are pleased with the wonderful life you’ve been blessed with. Looking back at your life and all that you’ve achieved and acquired, all the relationships you’ve developed; what matters to you most? List them out.

11. What are your deepest values? Select 3 to 6 list and prioritize the words in order of importance to you.

12. What were some challenges, difficulties and hardships you’ve overcome or are in the process of overcoming? How did you do it?

13. What causes do you strongly believe in? Connect with?

14. If you could get a message across to a large group of people. Who would those people be? What would your message be?

15. Given your talents, passions and values. How could you use these resources to serve, to help, to contribute? ( to people, beings, causes, organization, environment, planet, etc.)

Putting it all together: Creating Your Personal Mission Statement

Writing or reviewing a mission statement changes you because it forces you to think through your priorities deeply, carefully, and to align your behaviour with your beliefs.

A personal mission consists of 3 parts:

What do I want to do?
Who do I want to help?
What is the result? What value will I create?

Steps to Creating Your Personal Mission Statement:

1. Do the exercise with the 15 questions above as quickly as you can.

2. List out actions words you connect with.
a. Example: educate, accomplish, empower, encourage, improve, help, give, guide, inspire, integrate, master, motivate, nurture, organize, produce, promote, travel, spread, share, satisfy, understand, teach, write, etc.

3. Based on your answers to the 15 questions. List everything and everyone that you believe you can help.
a. Example: People, creatures, organizations, causes, groups, environment, etc.

4. Identify your end goal. How will the ‘who’ from your above answer benefit from what you ‘do’?

5. Combine steps 2-4 into a sentence, or 2-3 sentences.

What is your purpose? What is your mission? I would love to hear about your goals and aspirations. Please share with a comment!