The power of becoming extraordinary

The firms that go beyond excellence understand the power of becoming extraordinary in the market place. It all starts with a shift in business attitude, culture, and practice. When firms develop the habit of continuous improvement and beneficial change for their customers they embark upon the idea of unleashing extraordinary value to the market place.

Reach leadership significance in our own platforms

Some of us are authors, speakers, trainers, business coaches, and corporate leaders. As leaders we should consider striving as a goal to reach significance within our own leadership platforms.

In order to do so, we must take responsibility of three areas: our body, mind, and spirit. The body, mind, and spirit can make significance in their own way based on discipline or training. We must understand that:

• The training of our body leads to strength and softness. 
• The training of our mind is in the channeling of energy.
• The training of our spirit leads to elimination of all thought. 

Thus the journey towards significance within our own leadership platforms begins when we empty ourselves and clear away worldly distractions. We do this to make room for what we want and expel what we don't want. This allows us to focus our specific intent whole-heartily in a niche market or finite area. It is within this finite area where we must master the use of our body, mind, and spirit in endless ways.

When we weave our body, mind, and spirit into our leadership platforms as a single entity we engage a higher level of leadership mastery infusing the rich blessings from the INFINITE.

See beyond the fork in the road

Situations move quickly like fast driving leaders in red sport cars that have a need for speed. 

Sure, we leaders may ignore a few warning signs along the way and feel like we're in control of our destiny. However, what happens when we drive up to the proverbial fork in the road but this time we have to deal with our own luggage, lunch, and baggage?

In other words, sooner or later we will all approach a defining moment in our lives when the path we’re traveling on diverges because of a crossroad which forces us to THINK.  

For simplicity sake, the most basic crossroad has only a left or a right path to choose. If going to the left leads to risk, doubt, and uncertainty; where, going to the right leads to safety, sureness, and certainty which path would you take?  

There are many ways to pontificate a solution. Instead of focusing on the "HOW" we should consider focusing on the "WHY". We don't always have to know the answer; however, realize that we all need to respect our inner feelings. The answers to most of our questions are already within us. Pause for a moment and listen to that quiet voice. We are often too distracted while driving.

Be still. Be alert. Be aware. See beyond the fork in the road. 

Copyright © 2013 Hasan Harnett. All rights reserved.

Flip the switch to turn the lights on

Are you still maneuvering in the dark when it comes to your own personal and professional development?

Personally, I prefer to turn my headlights on when I'm driving my car at night. Otherwise it would be more difficult to see in the dark. Similarly, I prefer to turn my lights on at night when I'm home and need to see. That way I’m not trying to maneuver in the dark. Heavens forbid I stub my big toe.

With this in mind, one of the best ways to turn our personal and professional development lights on is to invest our time with like-minded people. In other words, attend major events, conferences, or functions and build relationships by associating with like-minded leaders who share your personal and professional passions. 

We are essentially driving in the dark if we never take part in major events like the World Domination Summit, TED, Powernetworking, and the Reinvention Summit to name a few. Do yourself a favor. Google search and find an upcoming major event and then plug-in. If you show up, you stand a good chance in meeting someone who has been where you're trying to go. In fact, they may give you sound advice since they have seen around the corners and know the obstacles that you are up against.

Attending personal and professional development events should become second nature as it is to drive your car with the lights on in the dark. All you need to do is flip the switch to become enlightened! 

Cultivating golden relationships

The first rule of networking is that it powers the spread of extraordinary ideas.

The second rule of networking is that it allows you to see where you're going.

Therefore, cultivate golden relationships with like-minded leaders who have already been where you need to go.

Re-think leadership

Re-think what you learn and teach about leadership. 

Consider your own response to this question: "During the days of Christopher Columbus, was the world flat or round?" 

Many of us believe in the notion that everyone in the Middle Ages thought the world was flat. When we brush up against the historical ceiling of our own educational programming, misconceptions prevail as Jeffrey Burton Russell explains in the "Myth of the Flat Earth". Contrary to our belief, Jeffrey reiterates “with extraordinary few exceptions no educated person in the history of Western Civilization from the third century B.C. onward believed that the earth was flat.”

If a misrepresentation like this exists in our own educational system can you imagine what's going on in the field and study of leadership? 

Whether you believe the world is flat like Thomas Friedman or round like everybody else it doesn't matter. What matters is that we are diligently doing our share to create the change we wish to see in the world even if it means re-thinking what we learn and teach about leadership. 

Just a short minute

Every second that we inhale and exhale means only one thing: we are ALIVE! 

If we are alive then we ought to live our best life. In order to live our best life we need a purpose. A purpose is the reason for which we create something. Likewise, a purpose is also the "WHY" for which something exists. For example, the purpose of this blog post today is to spread an inspirational and uplifting thought to all of us who seek to become better leaders. Again, that's my specific purpose for this blog post. We leaders are responsible and accountable for what may or may not happen. Moreover, no longer will we allow things to just happen to us. No longer will we watch everyone one else reach their full potential. Isn't time that we reached ours? Isn't it time that we start making things happen and create legacies for our children's, children's, children? Zig Ziglar, my dear friend who passed away said it like this: "Man was designed for accomplishment, engineered for success, and endowed with the seeds of greatness."  To grow the seeds within us we must fertilize our minds, water our plans, and give some light to our actions. We have the DNA of greatness pulsating through our veins. However, it's up to us to become a better version of ourselves. We must become better not only for ourselves but also for our families and communities. We must take this second to change the course of our future by becoming alive in just a short minute.