Ultimate Leadership Newsletter

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The business world uses an acronym, SWOT, as a tool to help organize and categorize the present situation: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.
This structure can also be helpful to you and your leadership as you analyze yourself. Your person and your character are the most valuable tools that your leadership has. What goes on inside you, for better or for worse, will always be mirrored in your organization and in your people. So take a look at SWOT from a deeper level, and make decisions on what you find. We will look at one critical area in each category.
Strengths: Structured Involvement in Growth.
You want to be the healthiest leader possible: spiritually, emotionally and relationally. You will need your health in order to face your mission and use every bit of yourself to accomplish goals. It is important to be in some sort of structured, regular process which helps you to look at yourself, be a better person, change, and even heal. Every successful leader needs to be scouring her insides, as Jesus taught: "...first wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too (Matt. 23:26, NLT)."
Don't stop with church attendance; you can get lost in the back of the sanctuary. And don't stop with a good group of friends; you need more intentionality and focus on the growth process than friends generally provide. Get into a small group, get a coach, get into counseling, or find a mentor. I believe this commitment to structured personal growth is the single most important strength great leaders incorporate. A huge part of this is being aware of your issues.
Leaders who are growing can identify their struggles, and how those issues affect their work. These can include a tendency to detach emotionally, or to avoid conflict, or to be perfectionistic in one's behaviors. Know these, and be working on these in your growth.
Weaknesses: Blame is #1.
Blame is the tendency to externalize responsibility for results onto other people and events. When you aren't generating the outcomes you want, the first place you should be looking is at yourself as a leader: Am I not conveying to my people with clarity? Am I not influencing or empowering? Am I not providing resources?
But, if you have a bent toward blame, the first questions will be more like: Who is in charge of this problem? How can we wait out the economy changes? Why aren't these people getting the big picture? We all have some capacity to blame, but it's not a good thing and it can severely hinder your growth. Do leadership the hard way and the right way. "...First get rid of the log in your own eye...(Matt. 7:5, NLT)." It isn't comfortable, but it will always get you results.
As the captain of the organization, you can either be blameless in a sinking rowboat, or take some hits on a cruise liner. Take the log out.
Opportunities: The Right Support Team.
Opportunities refer to those resources or events on the horizon that may accelerate your outcomes and the goals you want to reach. In terms of personal character, the most important opportunity for a leader is being able to connect to the right team. Safe, honest relationships are your biggest opportunity for growth, change, transformation and good outcomes.
Unfortunately, leaders sometimes tend to miss this. They either avoid being vulnerable to anyone, or they choose the wrong people to open up to, for example, judgmental folks, or strokers who don't tell the truth.
Take the opportunity to seek out a team of people who are for you, care about you, accept you, and are willing to shoot straight with you: "...we will speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15, NLT)." These people are gold for you. You don't need more than a handful of these, but they are the key opportunity.
Threats: The Blind Eye.
The flip side of opportunities, threats are those resources or events on the horizon that can inhibit your desired results. One of the most significant threats to a leader on a personal level is a resistance to recognize threats.
Sometimes a leader doesn't want to see the bad news in his people, his industry, his finances or his competition. It may seem too discouraging at times. Or he might feel such pressure to rally and inspire the troops that he avoids negative information. This is the threat that will make all other threats come true.
Be a leader who walks toward the bad news, the problems, and the crises. You will solve them sooner, and your people will feel safe with someone who sees the same realities they do: "...preserve sound judgment and discernment...(Prov. 3:21, NIV)."
Pay attention to your personal SWOT - the effort will provide multipliers in the work you are doing. God bless you.

	Words of Encouragement

Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow.
( Psalm 25:4 NLT )

	Ultimate Leadership Workshop

A one-week
intensive workshop for leaders
with Dr. Henry Cloud
and Dr. John Townsend
Upcoming Ultimate Leadership workshop
in San Juan Capistrano, California -
September 21 - 26, 2008 -
Call soon to register!
Here's what people are saying about Ultimate Leadership ...
It's difficult to describe, but before Ultimate Leadership I felt like my career was at an all time high yet in my spirit I felt like I was walking in a desert. It was tearing me apart and I was running on empty.
Then I heard about Ultimate Leadership. I really didn't want to fly 6,000 miles round trip for what I thought would be another "love, love, joy, joy - God understands you" experience. WOW, was I wrong!
My decision to attend UL was the best decision I have ever made in my life. Why? Well, at age 53, I found that life without boundaries just isn't life! Life without safe people around you is like navigating a minefield! Life without truth really is a lie!
In my lifetime, I have invested in a lot of people and programs. It was now time to invest in me! If you honestly want to live the life God has called you to, then Ultimate Leadership will be worth your personal investment in YOU. You see, "Ultimate Leadership Begins With You!"
Pastor Charlie Sweet, Executive Director
Compassion Coalition, Inc.
Utica, NY
For more reviews...

	Just released: Dr. Henry Cloud's new book!

 
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We have Dr. Henry Cloud's new book The One- Life Solution now on sale! Read more about it on our website - this is a must-read not only for leaders, but for anyone wanting to find a healthy balance between work and personal life!
In The One-Life Solution, bestselling author Dr. Henry Cloud examines the workplace. Through engaging real-world examples, Dr. Cloud shows us how to construct and enforce better boundaries against the technological devices, bullying bosses, and distracting coworkers who invade our time and space.

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	Ultimate Living Tour to launch in August 2008!!

The Ultimate Living Tour is coming to a city near you! Don't miss this opportunity to hear from Dr. John Townsend or Dr. Henry Cloud-live and in person!
When life works well it's not an accident. There are proven principles to making life happen successfully.
Living the Ultimate Life means success in four specific areas:
Freedom from hurts and pain that hold you back
Improving the quality of your significant relationships
Defining and reaching your goals and dreams
Connecting with God and deepening your spiritual life
In other words, the Ultimate life is full of good things and you are thriving in all these areas.
Now, in one event, you will learn secrets that will transform your life. You will discover how you can make Ultimate Living a reality!
Is the Ultimate Living Tour coming to your town? Click here...

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