Billy Arcement, MEd.
Professional Speaker

• Disciplined Leadership®
• Contacting Billy
• Seven Steps To Improve Your Career
• Tip of the Month
• 5 Myths of Business Today

How To Use Disciplined Leadership® To Build Your Organization

 As I began to think about how to get the most from a leadership situation, the first word that I thought of was discipline.  What exactly do I mean by Disciplined Leadership®?  Simply stated, to be an effective leader, one must include discipline as the principle driver and component of leading others.  Effective leadership demands that one stay on course and that really requires the use of great discipline.  Let me share five tips that demonstrate the type of discipline practiced by great leaders. 

 Understand Your Highest Value.

            The best results come when a leader fully understands their primary role and focuses on that role.  Where do you bring the greatest value to the entity you lead?  The answer to that question is one you must constantly focus on achieving. 

If You Don’t Trust, You Can’t Lead

            This is really a big one to handle.  Great leaders surround themselves with individuals who can be relied upon to handle tasks assigned.  Then, they discipline themselves not to meddle in the process.  Leaders must stay informed but relegate task activities to their associates.

Avoid Micromanaging

            Too many hands in the soup can spoil the final product.  Likewise, too many hands running a task can lead to ineffective results.  Distance yourself from the day-to-day departmental activities.  You are the visionary leader.  Rely on the people who work under your leadership to provide the initiative.  Hold everyone accountable.  Ask to stay informed but trust in the abilities of those you’ve hired to do the work.  If you insist on micromanaging, fire everyone and do everything yourself! 

Lead by Example

            Action does speak louder than words.  As the leader, you are on the observation platform.  Everyone is watching and they will do what you do, not follow what you say.  Your role is to inspire, encourage, build and sell the vision, listen intently to everyone and walk the talk.  These are critical disciplines you must put into practice.

Build Leaders

            If you only have one leader who can do a task, you’ve shortchanged yourself and the organization.  Do everything you can to build leadership skills within others.  This fosters easy transition when promotions occur, people retire or when employees move on to other organizations.  You never want to have a gap in your leadership skill base.  That demands constantly working on improving present leadership skills and cultivating new leaders from the rank and file.

            Well, how did you do?  I hope you begin to see how significant fully understanding your leadership role is to the success of the entity you lead.  The list is a short one but it covers a critical starting point to analyze your effectiveness.  Never let a day go by that you do not take a critical look at what effect your leadership has had on your day.  If the look if troublesome, maybe it’s time for you to begin to focus on Disciplined Leadership. ®

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Contacting Billy

Your organization or association can hear the results-oriented and inspirational messages Billy brings to every audience.  Make him the choice for your next business meeting, in-house training, conference, convention, and workshop or management-consulting project.  Call 225-677-9426, check his website, www.searchingforsuccess.com or email him directly at barcement@eatel.net to learn more about his services.  We’re waiting to hear from you!

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Seven Steps To Improve Your Career

Why not spend some time examining the position of your career against these seven points by answering the questions listed under each section.  Questions have a way of opening doors.  Perhaps these will open wide the doors to a career changing opportunity for you. 

Face the Things You Fear

            What events are creating inertia in your career development?  What fear if holding you from taking career-changing risks?  What perceptions do you have about your abilities that don’t accurately reflect your actual skill level?  What action steps are you willing to implement within the next week that will help you overcome your fears?

There’s More Than One Way

            What did you avoid doing because the one way you though it had to be done was not possible?  What activities, if changed, will make a dramatic difference in your future?  Do you often say, “We’ve always done it this way.”?

Make A Public Commitment

            What activity should you rekindle?  What new techniques should you employ to expand your career options?  Who are your cheerleaders?  Are you willing to share your career dreams with those who can help support you?

Try Giving Up Instead of Holding On

            What habits are you unwilling to give up that, once abandoned, might move you up the career ladder?  Are you willing to alter your tactics?  What activities are creating clutter in your life thus preventing time to concentrate on building your career?

Share Your Message With the World

            Are you keeping secret skills and talents that could advance your career?  What business activities have you ignored because you did not recognize that you had the talent to pursue?  What is your passion?  How often do you tell the world about your passion?  What message is still inside you because you’ve made the choice to be mute rather than being the master of your fate?

Follow Your Heart

            Fredrick Buechner says, “The place God calls you is where your deep gladness meets the deep hunger of the world.”  What is your deep gladness?  Is your business satisfying your own deep hunger?  Is your business satisfying the deep hunger of your clients or potential clients?

Ground Yourself

            Where is the central focus of your life?  Is it focused on career, family or spiritual development?  Do you believe spiritual grounding brings relief to your life?  Do you have balance between career and family obligations?  Do you exercise?  Are you aware of the effects your diet is having on your lifestyle?  How much balance do you have in your life?

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Tip of the Month

            A most important rule of leading others is to always remember that some people under your leadership will always function at your lowest tolerance level.  How do you know what that level is?  Simply look at your worst performing employee and you can safely say that your tolerance is at least at that level.

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5 Myths of Business Today

On August 12 th , Alan Hunkin, host of the Wake Up To Success Internet Radio Program, conducted an interview with Billy on The 5 Myths of Business Today. To listen, go to http://www.success-talk.com . The interview is now in the site archive. When you open the site, place my name in the quick search box on the upper right side of the page. That will bring up my broadcast. Why not check it out and, while you are there, listen to some of the other great archived interviews.
 

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