Great Leadership Resolutions for the New Year

As you get ready for 2011, I know many of you are writing your New Year's resolutions. I invite you to choose a few resolutions related to how you'll lead your teams this coming year. To get you started, here are some fantastic leadership reminders to consider as you enter 2011. So as you're writing your New Year's resolutions, I invite you to try a few of these on for size and resolve to apply them to become a better leader.

Occasionally I'll reach way back into the thoughtLEADERS Blog archives and bring you something you likely haven't seen before (I mean, who has time to go root around in old content and find the gems?). This is one of those waybacks. Considering thousands of readers have subscribed to the blog since this was originally written, the posts are definitely new to you.

Since most of you are on holiday break this week you should have time to read through the below-listed principles and the stories behind them. I invite you to read one or two a day with your morning coffee.

Sure there are plenty of leadership books out there (and I'm lucky enough to have one of my own being published in 2011 - join our Facebook fan page here to learn more as that publication date approaches). The thing is, I haven't come across many that are down to earth and practical in the advice they give. To that end, I see a problem and therefore I own it (one of the principles on the list). I'd like to offer the following basic principles as a perspective on some of the things it takes to be a genuine leader. Here goes:

Knowing and leading yourself:

• You see it, you own it
• "He's under the tank, sir"
• "I'm going home. You're doing my job so you don't need me and should take the cost savings."
• "He knows more than I do"
• The Human Crapshield

Knowing and leading your people:

• His name is Angel
• He drinks 7Up
• "But he's never done that job." "I know."
• They know what I know
• Kick up, kiss down
• The thank you note

Yes. Many of the above points are cryptic. Some are self evident. I expound upon each of these principles in their respective posts.

- Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC