If you are looking to be a strong leader for your business, team or project, take Jack Shepherd as an example.  In my experience with several leaders (both good and bad) over the last 10 years, a strong leader often reveals his leadership skills in times of crisis: success builds character but adversity reveals it!

This is why I think Jack Shepherd is a good leader.  In my experiene, this is what I think makes a good leader:

1.         Decisiveness – the first thing a strong leader does is assesses the situation.  Once all the facts, insights and observations are presented, a decision is made; a plan of action is taken with confidence and aggressiveness.  By being decisive, you instill confidence in your team or company.

2.         Adaptability – sometimes extraordinary things happen while executing the decision or plan but you have to adapt and adjust the plan accordingly.  The plan is a road-map, a light-house that let’s you gauge where you are if you fall off course.

3.         Leadership By Example – There is a fine-line between delegating and leading-by-example.  In my experience, delegating is important because the leader often needs to focus on other things and leverage the strengths of others in the team.  However, in this case I’m not talking about tactical things like executing strategies or projects but more of the behavioral things.  If you’re a leader and “preaching” respect and teamwork but you are often a disrespectful and uncooperative, you can’t expect your team or company to follow.

4.         Communication – So many times have I seen situations where people have no idea where there task fits in the overall plan.  They are often unaware of the goals of the company, project or even task.  People have a tremendous need to feel competent and valued.  A strong leader needs to communicate the objectives and goals constantly.  Outline the decisions made and get everyone involved to work towards a common goal.  It’s called “consensus building”.  By communicating, you build consensus and by building consensus, you are creating momentum to achieve a common goal.

5.         Accountability – When things go wrong, someone needs to take responsibility and action to rectify the situation.  It’s not for the purpose of reprimand but to not waste time to sort through the finger-pointing and just simply correct the problem-keep your eye on the prize.  A good leader will recognize that there is more merit in taking accountability for a mistake and trying to fix it than hiding and pointing-fingers.

6.         Compassion – A strong leader is aware of his surroundings and the impact of decisions, results and unforeseen situations.  Relating to people and genuinely trying listening to their concerns or suggestions makes a strong connection.  Connecting with your team memebers, helps you understand them and what motivates them.

7.         Respect – Ultimately, #1-6 culminate to this point.  If you can achieve respect from everyone you are associated with, you are strong leader.  Respect goes far, very far.  Once you’ve obtained the respect from your team, you can motivate and achieve any goal(s).

 I would consider these 7-Immutable Laws to Leadership.  Don’t think this just applies in the business world as well.  I think these Laws apply in all aspects of life: sports, volunteering, community and socially.

 It’s lonely at the top.  Good leaders, great leaders, are hard to come by because the 7 Laws are difficult to attain.  Work at at.  If Jack Shepherd could do it on an island in the middle of No Where, Planet Earth with some strangers, I’m sure you can.

Be Real.  Be a Leader.

Reality Business Consulting (RBC) (www.realityconsulting.ca) is a Toronto-based Marketing and Website Design and Development company dedicated to helping
small business grow. We do this by providing insightful marketing and sales knowledge, planning, execution and website design and development, on a small business budget. The foundation of our success lies in our strong business acumen and our ability to listen to and understand the needs of our clients, translating their ideas into a concrete plan of action; ultimately, delivering profitable results for them.

If you are searching for a professional and customer-focused marketing company with extensive work in website desisn and development located in Toronto, contact us for a “Reality Check; a no-obligation, no-charge consultation.

The post Is Jack Shepherd of LOST, a Good Leader? Part 2 appeared first on GIANT Marketing Solutions.

Jack Shepherd is a spinal surgeon and one of the passengers who survived the plane crash of Oceanic 815 on an island in the middle of No- where, Planet Earth.  He inherited the role of the leader of the survivors.  I’ve had this discussion with many LOST fanatics over the past few months, including my wife, my brother-in-law and his girlfriend, so, I thought I’d share my thoughts in the blog-sphere.  I’m not writing this post to discuss how or why or even if he was in fact the leader, (it’s my blog and I say he was!) but I’d like to discuss if he was a “good” leader or what makes a good leader?

Well, we do, indeed have to go back to the first episode where the answer is revealed.  In the opening scene, Jack wakes up and doesn’t realize where he is.  He then hears screaming and recognizes what is going on.  He continues to assess the entire situation (and very quickly, I might add).  He notices many people in trouble, a dismembered fuselage and ultimately, the chaos.  He frantically proceeds to help others himself as well as getting others involved and well, taking charge as best he can given the extraordinary situation.  Jack quickly comes up with a plan to save many passengers in those critical moments.

Once the chaos has settled, Jack takes it upon himself to check-in with all the survivors and gauge their health and how they are feeling.  In the meantime, he’s already assembled a group of individuals (Kate, Hurly, Sayid and others) to create a base-camp for survival.  He then gathers all the survivors, brings everyone together, so to not let anyone feel left out and discusses the plan of action with everyone that he has thought-up.  At that point, the real journey begins.

So, is Jack Shepherd a good leader?  Think about it yourself.  I’ll let you know what I think, next post.

Be Real.  Be a leader.

Reality Business Consulting (RBC) (www.realityconsulting.ca) is a Toronto-based Marketing and Website Design and Development company dedicated to helping small business grow. We do this by providing insightful marketing and sales knowledge, planning, execution and website design and development, on a small business budget. The foundation of our success lies in our strong business acumen and our ability to listen to and understand the needs of our clients, translating their ideas into a concrete plan of action; ultimately, delivering profitable results for them.

If you are searching for a professional and customer-focused marketing company with extensive work in website desisn and development located in Toronto, contact us for a “Reality Check; a no-obligation, no-charge consultation.

The post Is Jack Shepherd of LOST, a Good Leader? – Part 1 appeared first on GIANT Marketing Solutions.