Where should you start as a leader and manager?

Where should you start as a leader and manager? Everything in the universe has a beginning 1. Your beginning was the fusing of 23 chromosomes from your dad with 23 chromosomes from your mum. And, hey presto you sprang into existence! 2. The Honda Corporation began when Soichiro Honda decided to attach a small motor to his push bike. 3. Geometry began when a chap called Euclid wrote down five self evident statements that he thought would be the starting point of the science of geometric maths. They were simple statements of truth that included the following: • Any two points can be connected by a straight line • All right angles are equal to each other Simple stuff. But it was only the beginning...... It is only right and proper that you are consciously aware of your starting point: Knowing your starting point consciously, gives you a rigid base: a reference: an intellectual and emotional foundation on which to build the rest of your practice. Now here is the point of this article: What is your starting point for your practice as a leader and manager? What are your assumed truths? Upon what assumed truths are you going to build your practice? Here is my list of seven assumed truths (called the Axioms of leadership) upon which I recommend that you base your best practice as a leader manager. 1. Set goals Success is defined as "the achievement of your goals" The achievement of a nonexistent goal is impossible. Therefore, to be successful, you must set goals 2. Clarity is a virtue, vagueness is a vice You must accurately communicate your goals to others. Communication is defined as "the transfer of information". Any error, distortion or omission constitutes poor communication. The information must be clear. Therefore communication must be clear. Therefore: Clarity is a virtue, vagueness is a vice 3. Success is reserved only to those that have intelligent written plans Success is defined as "achievement of your goals". Your goals must be matched by equivalent plans. Therefore success requires plans capable of achieving the goals. Therefore you must have intelligent written plans. 4. Learn to speak, and write, in factual language Your judgments must be based upon facts, not opinions. There is a difference between a fact and an opinion. Some people don't know that there is a difference between a fact and an opinionr You should distinguish between facts and opinions, in language. Therefore, you should learn to speak, and write, in factual language. 5. Control what you allow yourself to think about, and for how long Your emotions (feelings) are a reaction to the thoughts you have in your mind. If you have bad thoughts, you have bad feelings. If you have good thoughts, you have good feelings. If you have mixed thoughts, you have mixed feelings. You feel whatever you think about. Therefore you should control what you allow yourself to think about, and for how long. 6. Think about the emotional impact before you say it, or write it Their emotions (feelings) are a reaction to the thoughts that you trigger in their mind by what you say. If you trigger good thoughts, by the use of your language, they will have good feelings. If you trigger bad thoughts, by the use of your language, they will have bad feelings. Therefore: Think about the emotional impact before you say it, or write it 7. Attend to the physical health of yourself and others In physics, energy is defined as "the capacity to do work". To be successful you need the work done! Therefore you need people to have sufficient energy. Many people wake up tired! They start the day at work with insufficient energy. They don't look after themselves well enough to feel energetic and vibrant. Instead they feel ill, or stressed or tired. You need people to have sufficient energy. Therefore: You must attend to the physical health of yourself and others. Summary Everything must have a beginning. It is only right and proper that you are consciously aware of your beginning point: Knowing it consciously, gives you a rigid base: an intellectual foundation on which to build the rest of your practice. Here are seven Axioms of leadership upon which you can successfully base your best practice as a leader manager: 1. Set goals, for the future. 2. Clarity is a virtue, vagueness is a vice. 3. Success is reserved only to those that have intelligent plans. 4. Learn to speak, and write, in factual language. 5. Control what you allow yourself to think about, and for how long. 6. Think about the emotional impact before you say it, or write it. 7. Attend to the physical health of yourself and others.