When was the last time you felt inspired?

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the 2017 Women of Global Change Summit in sunny Jamaica. If I had to sum up the experience in one word, it would be “energizing”. Despite the jam-packed schedule, I have returned home feeling energized and inspired by the incredible men and women I met and served alongside. Shellie Hunt, the founder of Women of Global Change and a global entrepreneur, is perhaps the most exemplary leader I have been privileged to serve with and learn from.

Next week, I’ll share some of the lessons I learned, the inspiring people I befriended, our humanitarian service project and the overarching mission of the WGC. But today I want to talk about one of the most fundamental qualities that all the WGC members I met possessed in spades: leadership. Everyone I met was a strong, inspiring leader in their own right.

Internationally renowned leadership expert and author John C. Maxwell says, “A Leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.” And I couldn’t agree more.

Leadership is one of the qualities you need to master in order to build a Legacy Business. The good news is that whether you lead an entire company, a team of people, a community or volunteer organization, your family or just yourself, you are already a leader in some form. At Celeste Giordano Coaching I teach entrepreneurs and professionals to cultivate their leadership potential and expand their circle of influence.

Here are some of the leadership principles I have learned from my mentors as well as from my own experience serving my community and growing a Legacy Business.

• Leaders are visionaries. They have a clear picture of where they are going and a plan of how they intend to get there.
• Many people mistakenly believe leadership is about power. But true leadership isn’t about directing or coercing people to do what you want them to do. Being a strong leader means inspiring them to join you in pursuit of a shared objective, ideal, mission or cause.
• Leaders know exactly who they are and what values they stand for. They are committed to abiding by these values regardless of the circumstances or challenges they face. And they communicate their values openly with the people they lead.
• If leadership could be summed up in one simple thought, it would be setting an example for others to follow. True leaders possess the values and characteristics we wish to emulate, the most important of which is integrity. By acting with integrity, they inspire others to place their trust in them. Those who lead by example are able to say “do as I do”, not just “do as I say.”
• In order to inspire a team to do their best work for you, they need to understand the importance of their role in making your vision a reality. In other words: share the “big picture” with your team and how they play a critical role.
• The best leaders understand that their chief responsibility is making sure their team members have the guidance, tools and resources necessary to fulfill their responsibilities and meet expectations.
• Strong leaders are supportive of their team and collaborate with their team. They eagerly receive feedback and welcome creative problem solving. Some of the most creative and valuable ideas emerge when you listen to other people’s ideas, no matter how different they are from your own. Encourage your team to share their opinions!
• True leaders don’t assign tasks or roles that they themselves wouldn’t be willing to perform. Rather than directing from a distance, they play a hands-on role. This sends the message that the leader does not view him/herself as superior.
• Those who promote themselves at the expense of others are not leaders. Real leaders care about others and want to empower them to succeed. They embrace and promote a spirit of selfless service. When you make the needs and desires of others a priority, they will give you the best they have to give.
• Effective leaders express gratitude for a job well done. Rather than take their team for granted, they show appreciation for their team members’ efforts – especially when they make meaningful contributions or go above and beyond the call of duty. When a leader makes a conscientious effort to recognize and reward their team, each team player feels motivated to put forth their best effort and strive for excellence.

Last but not least, leaders are growth-oriented. They recognize that however many years of experience they have, there is always more to learn and room for growth. In pursuit of excellence, they ask questions and seek guidance from those who have the skills, tools and knowledge they want to develop.

At Celeste Giordano Coaching, I work with entrepreneurs who understand the relationship between maximizing their leadership potential and achieving consistent and powerful RESULTS.

Are you living up to your leadership potential?

Email me today to learn how to lead with purpose and integrity.

Up Next: You’re Invited

We invite our local community to visit us on July 27, 2017 from 11:00 to 1:00 p.m. at the 1818 Club for the WGC Atlanta Chapter meeting. Pre-registration for the event is $25.00. Click here to pre-register. If you are interested in being a sponsor, please contact celeste@thewomenofglobalchange.com.

We are also opening up several other chapters across the United States. I am honored to help launch the Toronto, Ontario Chapter in the summer, 2017. To become a presenting sponsor or sponsor at this premier Toronto event, contact Celeste Giordano here. For additional information about WGC, please visit our website!

Join Celeste at the 4th Annual Entrepreneurship and Small Business Summit on July 12th & 13th. She will be a Panel Expert and Break Out Speaker. Click here for more information.

Celeste Giordano’s mission is to help business owners develop the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to “double-plus” their income and become effective and inspirational leaders in their fields. Whether it’s taking your successful business to the next level or starting a new venture, she will teach you the exact skills and strategies you need to enroll more quality prospects, build a rock-solid team, and break through obstacles to achieve real profit and lasting success. Celeste is a professional business growth specialist, a master sales strategist, and dynamic speaker with almost 40 years experience in direct sales and managing high-performing teams.

To learn more about Celeste, click here.

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