Monthly Archives: December 2013

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Dominate Fear

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I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.    Nelson Mandela

Fear is ever present especially in the life of a leader. Fear has a thousand tongues and no hands. You will hear voices and think thoughts that come to disrupt your confidence. Confidence comes from knowing that you are on the right path and doing the right thing. If you are doing the right thing and on the right path the only other element for success is time. Patience knows that fear is along for the ride but ignores all the chatter.
Courageous people seem to walk in a zone of no fear. One popular saying that was turned into a brand is called “NO Fear”. The only reason that people of courage appear to have conquered fear is that they have accepted the fact that fear accompanies all achievement. Courageous people live out loud and their courage talks more than any fear.

Winston Churchill is quoted as saying, “Courage is the first of the human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees all the others.”
You can be nothing without first demonstrating courage. It takes courage to learn how to walk and talk when you are an infant. And it takes courage to walk and talk about your vision when you are mature. And it definitely  takes courage to tackle another major project when you are old. Dominate fear and you will dominate life.

Maya Angelou said, “Courage is the most important of all virtues, because without it we can’t practice any other virtue with consistency.”

How will you use courage to dominate fear?

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Nelson Mandela: Leader for the ages

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Nelson Mandela inspired a generation and was a leader from whom we can all learn a great deal. What if he was your personal mentor? What a wonderful gift and pleasure it would be to have personal and business lessons from a man of this moral and inspirational caliber. In the wake of his passing there were many tributes and a lot of quote compilations. When I read Mfonobong Nsehe article on Forbes.com I was inspired to imagine what kind of lessons would follow Mr. Mandela’s quotes.

I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.  Nelson Mandela

An optimist raises in the morning with hope in his heart. He looks for the bright spot in all situations. Some are born with this quality and sprinkle it on everything they touch. An optimistic leader is inspired by messy situations because now they are moldable.
One can also nurture an optimistic outlook by training. You must read to understand history and what positive mental attitudes great people took into difficult decisions. Make sure your immediate circle believes in you. Make sure they support your dream. When pessimistic viewpoints creep into your thinking defeat them with positive self-images. Point your head towards the sun means, look on the bright side of life even when it is cloudy somewhere there is sun. As a leader the cloud of despair is ever evident because people bring things to you for fixing. Judge righteously but have no negative thought.

Keep it moving.

Never stop working towards your dreams. Inside of you is an assignment from the ages, move toward it with passion. When you are doing good and accomplishing what you set out to do there is no time for camping, be a climber. Climb your mountain then plan for the next adventure. Whatever detours that cause you discomfort or delay shall not deny your goals. Keep calling and asking for what you need, even if you receive the wrong answer. Look for different avenues and people to give you the yes answer. Life is too short to stop at NO. Giving up is not an option and defeat is just a starting point.

Whether by nature or nurture be an optimist by choice.

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Business leaders should Protect the lead

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This is a sports analogy generally reserved for football but it also can be applied to your Business game plan. African American Football

Generally, it is thought to be more defensive when your team is winning. Even on offense we want our teams to be conservative with their strategies and game plan when they are winning. I have a different philosophy on how to protect the lead. When your business is up, pour it on. Be relentless with all you do. Use your defense to blitz the quarterback. The opposing quarterback in business is represented by your biggest problem. Do not take a break from attacking and subduing whatever is attacking your business. If it is bills or production numbers, do not work with a slack hand when you are ahead your offense should be even more impressive. You already know how to dominate and gain points. When your sales are up and you are covered in work it is time to protect the lead and make more calls and appointments. Becoming a scoring machine and keep going for the big clients and bigger deals. Stay with your game plan, every yard is important. Look for the small deals also because they keep the sales quota going. If you need another reason add more effort just think of the third stringers that want to play. In business these are the new hires, people you may not know exist. When you get really far ahead you can rest a little and let the new hires help out some.
Finally, to protect the lead you have to remain patient and play smart. One fundamental way to protect the lead is to finish strong. Do not get sloppy because you have some success. You are only as good as your last play. Stay focused and make good decisions as if you are just starting the game.