Research and Learn about Decorative Concrete
Interior Floors: Concrete Floors; Stained Concrete; Concrete Overlays; Basement Floors; Concrete Polishing; Concrete Dyes; Stenciling Interior Floors; Radiant Floor Heating; Garage Floor Coatings
Interior Concrete: Concrete Countertops; Concrete Fireplace Surrounds; Concrete Furniture; Sinks and Vessels
Outdoor Concrete: Concrete Patios; Stamped Concrete; Concrete Driveways; Concrete Pool Decks; Countertops & Kitchens; Outdoor Living; Concrete Walkways; Concrete Resurfacing; Stained Concrete; Colored Concrete; Pavers
Foundation Repair/Waterproofing: Foundation Repair; Concrete Crack Repair; Foundation Waterproofing; Basement Wall Repair
Building with Concrete: Concrete Homes; Finished Basements; Decorative Concrete; Concrete Basements; Pervious Concrete; Green Building
Maintaining Concrete: Clean and Seal; Make Existing Concrete Better
Local Concrete Sites: California; Florida; Illinois; New York; Ohio; Pennsylvania; Texas; View Other States

What Makes A Great Leader Great?

By Clay S. Nelson, President - Consulting Services Network LLC

Flipping through a business magazine I was intrigued with an article about the success of a top CEO/President of an internationally known construction company. The article briefly summarized the Chief Executive Officer's daily routine which included: waking up every day at 4:30 AM, working out, being in the office no later then 7 AM, attending numerous meetings and job sites throughout the day, and returning home around 11 PM, (this daily regime was described as a Monday thru Saturday ritual). This schedule provoked the question, "Is that what it takes to be a great leader?"

The truth is, those that have the reserved parking spaces and mahogany desks are usually the "type" of person that others spend their careers striving to replace; but, does being a great leader mean that you have to work sixteen hours a day six days a week? ABSOLUTELY NOT, NO WAY!!! The work schedule described above describes what it's like to NOT have a work-life balance! It makes one wonder if this CEO has a family or whether he does anything non-work related to keep his batteries charged. The number of hours spent at work does not define the success or the greatness of any leader.

It's been my experience that a great leader is a person who has the creative vision and the ability to be the question, not the answer. By being the question it gives others in the company the space they need to have a creative vision that will help the company as a whole. The above paragraph is a perfect example of what a great leader does not have to be. If you are working that many hours that many days a week to get the job done, then your team is just not big enough and you haven't learned to delegate.

When a group of leaders were asked to draft a list of characteristics that they would use to describe a great leader they came up with the following:

A creative visionary
Master of change
Motivated
Driven
Confident
Effective at listening and communicating
Open-minded
Unstoppable
Has a team & uses them

After observing the above list along with our philosophy of what a great leader is, the common trend of a great leader is not HOW much time is spent at work, but HOW the time at work is spent. Note the following statistic*: There are 24 million small businesses in the United States, of these, 30% stay in business after the owner/CEO dies, and of these only 15% stay in business for at least three generations. Does this mean that terrible leaders run 85% of all small businesses? No. What it does mean is that these leaders were so busy managing their businesses that they forgot to exercise one of the most important muscles that all great leaders have: the power of teaching.

Regardless of how big or small a business is one of the most important traits a great leader can have is that of being an excellent teacher. Sometimes those in a powerful position have the mindset of, "nobody can do this as good as I can," which leads these individuals to spending long workdays micromanaging. How about challenging this idea with the following: A great leader will make use of his team by taking the time to teach his/her teammates how to run the business successfully. One of the most common statements spoken to me by my clients in response to this statement is that they don't have the time to teach. My response: it may take some time in the short-run to adopt and implement this idea, but think of its long-term effects. By teaching others you:

Ensure that the business can and will continue after you leave.
Empower your team members and employees, leaving them committed towards accomplishing the company's goals.
Empower team members and employees to begin thinking outside of the box. Instead of looking at their job as a task to cross off their To Do list. They now begin to think in terms of, "How can we do this better and more efficiently? How can I contribute to the success of the company?"
Give yourself more time to be the creative visionary for the future. This also allows you to implement the new ideas and goals that in the past were only great ideas that you toyed with while micromanaging.

Here are some other traits that great leaders have:

They keep a great attitude: Even when times are tough, a great leader keeps thinking constructively. In other words, instead of just thinking positively, the great leader will not get bogged down by negative thoughts, but will develop constructive ways to make it through the tough times.

They have a keen eye on the competition: A great leader will not be intimidated by the competition; instead, a great leader will take the time to research the competition and gain a competitive advantage. They will also welcome the competition as their opportunity to strive and prove that they have the ability to lead the company towards greater success.

They have a contagious passion for what they believe in: Imagine an athletic team who has a coach who eats, breathes, and lives by the sport, yet his team does not share in the passion. What will the result be? A team who does not play to their full potential because they don't share the passion that their coach has. The same applies in business. When your team members are passionate about the success of your company, they not only enjoy their work, but they want to contribute to the company's success. This passion also reduces the level of employee turnover.

They can be with what they don't know: Accept that you don't have all the answers and that you don't know everything. When you find out what it is that you don't know, go out there and learn it. Remember, knowing is the booby prize; knowing is where learning stops.

They have F-U-N: Think back on that one grammar or high school teacher that made your life difficult. What was it like to be in that class? What was it like to study the material? Most likely, had that teacher been fun, the subject would have been fun and you would have enjoyed learning. In fact, if your teacher had incorporated a bit of fun into the class, you most likely would not have thought of him/her when asked to think of that one horrible teacher. The same applies in any company. When the leader has fun and isn't afraid to show his/her human side, the company as a whole feels the effects.

They are honest: Not much needs to be said here.

An efficient leader is not defined by how many hours they work, but how they spend their time at work. With that in mind, the keys to a successful and great leader include: teaching others, accessing your team, having a contagious passion for what you do, have integrity, and know how to put fun into work. Most importantly, "The difference between a boss and a leader: A boss says, 'Go!' - A leader says, 'Let's go!"-E.M. Kelly

Clay S. Nelson, the founder of Consulting Services Network LLC, and his team are committed to putting fun, family and financial freedom into everyone's business and personal lives. With over two decades of experience coaching business leaders in creating life balance, building teams, and writing plans, their programs are designed to alter the cultures of companies and families. They make a powerful and lasting difference with each person they meet, every group they speak with, and with every client they serve.