Five Strategies that cultivate an EPIC Leader
We continue our training on leadership. Not just any kind of leader, but an exceptional leader.
Epic is a word that means heroic; majestic; impressively great.
It was used especially in poetry to tell a story about a hero or about exciting events or adventures.
An EPIC leader is one who is characterized by having these traits.
Ethics
Principles
Integrity
Character
ROI conducted extensive research and found these five strategies to be consistent with exceptional or EPIC leaders.
1. Cultivate Positude.
Everyone talks about the importance of attitude – with good reason. Attitude always comes up in conversations with high achievers in all types of professions as the top factor in their success. It is vital to cultivate a positive attitude thus we coined the word “Positude.” If you are going to be an EPIC leader you must not only possess a positive attitude, but you must cultivate positude in the people around you.
2. Lead by Serving.
Great leaders from the past and present agree that the leader who serves others is the most effective. What greater example do we have than Jesus Christ!
3. Dare to make a difference.
Difference makers have vision, are willing to take risks, know how to tune into the inner voice and have found the way to serve the vision not the other way around. Remember the soulutionist is one who lives from the inner man where we draw our strength from who we are in Christ. This is what makes us change agents in our communities.
4. Embrace and Employ Discipline.
While this may sound like a business principle; like most of the others it is a principle of leadership. Therefore it is present in leaders in all areas, whether it is business, government, non-profit or church. Self-discipline separates exceptional leaders from acceptable leaders.
5. Update your snapshot regularly (forgiveness).
Don’t get stuck in the old ways of thinking about people, projects, yourself and the world around you. One of the more difficult things for people to do is to forget the past, to forgive mistakes, to give people a second or even a third chance. Great leaders are able to see change, forgive the past and move forward to achieve the vision.
Which is the most important? There is no order of importance or sequence. Exceptional leaders don’t possess one or two of these strategies. They develop all of them. These strategies are all interrelated. These 5 strategies, when wrapped around an EPIC core produce exceptional leadership.
The EPIC Core is not a strategy, it is your identity.
Related more to who you are than what you do.
What’s inside a person.
Ethics, Principles, Integrity and Character.
Backbone, Convictions, Purpose, Fortitude, Internal Strength, Core Values.
Without an EPIC Core, your leadership will not be exceptional. (That does not mean, however, that you will be ineffective.)
In conjunction with an EPIC Core, the 5 strategies are far more powerful.
Your assignment is to write down how you can cultivate each of these 5 strategies in your life as a leader. Let me remind you that great leaders lead their family. Be an exceptional husband, father, son, daughter, mother, sister, etc! Everything begins in the home! You can discuss this with others if you would like. You do not need to send me your answers, but you are welcome to comment on the training.
Keep believing for the impossible!
Dr. Taylor
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