There are many different thoughts and perspectives on what defines a great leader.

I don’t believe in a one style fits all method, just like our 1:1 coaching, I believe in a custom experience. Everyone is unique and so you will find the style that best fits you. It’s like a code; like your DNA code. Something that is unique to you. I believe what people want is influence. How can they create a positive impact on others be it in their work or personal environment?

The trick is, how do you tap into your code and express it? 

How do you find what expression is right for you? Because, when you do, it will unleash forces that will flow among you and all your colleagues (should they be in the vibrational vicinity of receiving it).

So, what makes a great leader?

YOU.

You are a great leader. It is within all of us.

I find it interesting how, in many organizations, the system is set up in a such a way that there are some decision makers and then there are those that are impacted by the decision making of others. This system is limiting. It limits people’s choices. There should always be a two-way communication going forth between all parties.

Pam – I remember being on a conference call with a CEO and his ground staff. The language and gap between the two departments were monumental. One group felt misunderstood by the other and called the others ‘office folks.’ There was a huge separation and each party felt misunderstood.

You see, everyone is a leader. Everyone has a voice. And every unique perspective matters.

The question is, how do you filter through all the input and get to a decision that serves the company as a whole?

Pam – I found that when working on projects with multiple ‘masters’ there were many strong and opposing opinions to balance. How did I deal with it?

I only serve one master. That was my project. It was the ideal vision and image that everyone was working towards. I saw the vision before anyone else did. It speaks to you should you listen carefully and distance yourself from the chatter. The project will speak to you. I am not speaking figuratively here. You will get impulses and ideas haunting you, so to speak, in a kind way. Be prepared. And once you make the decision to follow that, the people and resources will find you, and that is how the decision making process works. The ideas, people and resources will flow like rivers into a lake, should you decide to remain open.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, ‘Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.’

Creating High Performance Teams:

When working with teams and as I found, where I was coaching and mentoring staff, it is important to have a clear and positive mind.

Collaboration is key. Conflict is growth. Focus is creation.

Just don’t hang out and bathe in conflict. Some even marinate in it. Understand what needs to be understood and move on. Go forth boldly in the direction of the solution.

I found that I could not mentor all staff. I could not leverage my time that way. It was exhausting. So I asked a question. HINT: You want great answers, ask great questions. How can I leverage the universal law to build cohesive highly effective teams and build more leaders?

Simple.

Work with other leaders. Build leaders not followers. Encourage and empower each other.

I literally had leaders reveal themselves and walk through my door. How? I simply asked – Ask and it is Given – EVERY TIME. And when you work with other leaders, they work their team and build more leaders and the positive influence grows. I find that there are some leaders who do not invest the time to build other decision makers. What they do is make the decisions on behalf of others. They shelter others from making key decisions. THOSE leaders are on their way out. Let me explain…

Nicky – What is it about a leader that inspires you to go to any lengths for? Here’s a better question. What is it about a strong leader that inspires you to always put your BEST foot forward? It is NEVER about strategies, quotas, principles, etc. It is, however, about how your leader makes you feel. More specifically it is about how your leader expressed to you how valuable an asset you are to the team and how appreciated you are. It is about how important your input is in the decision making process. It is about how dependable you are, where you know your leader can count on you to deliver 100% every time. It is about how much of a priority your well being is to your leader. It is about the relationship your leader is constantly building with you. I can go on.

You see these are the things that separate the good ones from the magnificent ones. The good ones are just that –Good, you do a good job, pretty standard right? You go to work, do your work, do a good job and do what needs to be done, and then go home. The magnificent ones, you remember them FOREVER. You will ALWAYS remember them for how they made you feel.

Nicky – I remember one position I held where we had what seemed like a revolving door of managers. Harry is one Inspiring Leader I had the privilege of working with. What separated him from the rest is that he got to know the entire section and had a special relationship with each and every one of us. For me, he knew the names of all my family members, asked how my grandparents were doing, remembered how I took my coffee, my favorite food, AND when I moved on in my career he gave me a Stellar recommendation, a partying gift and a card with the most beautiful words: “We go through life and meet a lot of people. They come and go, but every now and then there are some that come along and you will remember them forever.”  Thank You Harry for your Leadership, your friendship, and your Kindness.

Pam – I remember in Elementary school I had the best principal in the world! He was a magnificent leader. He called us his friends. And he knew each kids by his or her NAME! Please note, it was a big school and there were a lot of kids. He would have us play games where we would pick up garbage before the bell rang – he made picking up garbage fun!? For kids?! That is how great he was! He taught us about having pride in our school and taking care of it. He would take time out of office, and visit the younger kids to read books to them. Till this day, I remember the stories he acted out and read to us, and I tell them to my niece and nephew. He also had events that everyone would attend and we would throw live shows for each other and celebrate different holidays. When he left, we all, and I mean the whole school – teachers and kids included, donated money so we could buy him a gift when he moved on. I remember when he moved onto my cousin’s school, my cousin asked him if he remembered me. He lit up and said, “Of course I remember Pam – she is my friend.” Thank you Mr. Holmen for your leadership.

You see, Law of Attraction will form the groups accordingly. The key is, should you be in a ‘key decision’ making role or position, OWN it. I know at the end of the day the CEO makes some key decisions. Leadership makes key decisions. Ground crew makes key decisions. It is just the nature of the decisions that is different. Own your role. Own the position you attracted and be a positive influence. Embody and encompass your player position in it all. Be a damn good goalie. Be a damn good forward. Be a damn good striker. Each player is key in the whole of the corporation. Be a team. Get out of the way and let people do what they do best.

Opinions and Other Nonsense:

I have seen organizations fail greatly because of opinions.  Too many chefs at a pot. It can lead to undermining and eradicate the decision making process. I have come across people who are toxic to a company. To have your decisions repeatedly questioned and examined by the doubt and opinions of others is severely detrimental. Do you know how a bank teller identifies a fake bill? They only train the tellers with authentic real bills. They never show them fake bills. Therefore, focus your energy on authentic people who inspire authentic leadership. Should you find yourself in an organization filled with leaders that are fake dollar bills, just focus on your own integrity and greatness. Make it a better place by being the best you. And you will find that either the organization will change and match up to your high vibration or one will come your way mirroring your greatness. It is LAW!

As Napoleon Hill stated in Think and Grow Rich, “Opinions are the cheapest commodities on earth. Everyone has a flock of opinions ready to be wished upon anyone who will accept them. If you are influenced by “opinions” when you reach DECISIONS, you will not succeed in any undertaking.”

To be clear here, an opinion is doubt. A decision is lined up with the universal forces. There is no stopping a decision. It is clarity.  And clarity is Alignment.

I encourage all my members and team players to make decisions. You see, when masters come together to co-create, in a mutually respected environment, it is a beautiful thing. I have worked in organizations where people come together with a focal point. They set clear objectives prior to the meeting of the minds. And they collaborate at many different levels. You see, your ideal is done. You must think this way. It is done. You all must act as receivers. How? Raise your vibration. Be in your creative mode. Set the atmosphere. Let your creative juices flow. And beauty will emerge. It is inevitable.

Alfred Hitchcock would hold team meetings and when they reached a point where a solution could not be found they took a 45-minute break. They let the resistance waves cease as it was keeping the ships at bay. And then, each player would come back refreshed with new sets of ideas. Play with the question. Don’t let your mind wander too much but just let it float and hover over ideas. So if you’re preoccupied with whether you left the stove on or not,  your mind has wandered too far.

Love your opponent. 

I have always said that some relationships were made prior to us entering Planet Earth. Love your opponent. Seeing someone as an opponent or enemy is a myth. All it is, is an opposing force and that force benefits you. How?

Think of this. Two top soccer goalies. We have the US goalie – Hope Solo. And the Canadian goalie –Erin McLeod. Now, let’s break this down even further. Let’s turn them into their energy orbs. Stay with me here, it gets REALLY GOOD. So, we have these two infinite intelligent beings (because we are all energy and energy is eternal) and they both decide to enter Earth. Prior to entering they make an agreement with each other. One said to the other, “I am going to exercise this goalie thing on Earth, it looks like fun! I want to be the best ME out there! Will you keep me in check so that I can accomplish this in my period of X amount of years on earth?” The other replies, “I will. Will you dance with me and do the same and keep me in check as well?”’ “I shall,” replies the other. And then, they focus themselves onto Earth. And they meet, as opposing forces. They help focus each other into being as a reminder of why they came here.  By challenging one another on this platform they get to be the best expression of themselves.  THIS is the magic of creation.

Now, do you see how different that is? See how I just changed the context and told a new story about it?

Take that and apply it in your work life. I just took the word, ‘competition,’ and transformed it into an ‘agreement’ which is something completely different. In fact, it is not competition anymore. It is an agreement that you made prior to your decision of coming here that your soul wanted to explore.

Do you see why, should you choose to ignore that greater part of you, that infinite part of you, your relationship with your inner being and others is completely off point. In fact, you are missing the point all together!

Leadership Style:

I have resonated most with Lao Tzu leadership style found below. This is what fits me best of his definition of what defines the best leaders. Find what best fits you and just bloody own it!

As I own it. As Nicky owns it. As Harry owned it. As Mr. Holman owned it. As both goalies own it!

As Lao Tzu said in the Tao Te Ching:

“The best leaders are those their people hardly know exist.
The next best is a leader who is loved and praised.
Next comes the one who is feared.
The worst one is the leader that is despised…
The best leaders value their words, and use them sparingly.
When they have accomplished their task,
the people say, “Amazing!
We did it, all by ourselves!”

Find your unique leadership code, and when you do, Just Fu*king Own It! Unapologetically.

With love and friendship,

Pam and Nicky