Did you get that promotion? Are you ready for the next level? Are you on top of things? What about your leadership? Is it adequate and effective? Do you have the skills and knowledge to be an effective leader and advance your career?

Did you answer "NO" to those questions? If you focus on how to change yourself, not the system, not play politics, and not blame others - you make yourself more effective in life and can answer "YES" next time. 

So, here is some help to get ready for the next level.

People who advance and are ready for the next level pay attention to 3 proven, practical, and powerful daily priorities - Clear Expectations, Clear Consequences, and Self-governance. 

Clear Expectations

One of our favorite statements is, "Where you look, you tend to go!" Unfortunately, too many people and organizations have eyes that wander from one shiny object to the next. In other words, they have no clear "THERE" to look at.

On the other hand, you organize your energy and focus with a clear end result - a clear THERE. Without it, you react and respond - flit around, and the waves of life, circumstances, and people drive you. Worse yet, you may be the leader and don't have clear expectations for your unit.

Great (GR8) leaders are clear about what the organization needs today, this week, month, and year. Clear expectations help you organize your thoughts, goals, and actions for yourself and those with you.

Daily Focus Form

And, if you want some help, this form may be the ticket. It is the tool that helps you get ready for the next level. When you use it, you start each morning with a review of your goals, people to contact, and decide on the 1 to 3 things you WILL DO today.

Advertise to Your Supervisor

Setting clear expectations for yourself and your organization is a clear mark of someone who gets things done. And, do not forget about respect for authority! Create clear expectations, then double-check with your supervisor to see if you are on target.

Consider what happens when you check with your supervisor. You advertise that you want to help your supervisor and the organization achieve its goals. And, if you listen to your supervisor and make appropriate changes, you advertise a willingness to learn and grow. That simple step shows respect for authority and initiative - good supervisors love that!

With clear expectations set, focus on excellent execution!

Clear Consequences

What if you don't achieve your goals? This is not about a sense of urgency - just about REALITY. What happens if you don't finish that report today? What happens if you don't fill those orders? Are there any consequences when you do not meet your goals?

You aren't playing a kid's soccer match where everyone gets a trophy for showing up! Moving to the next level means there are consequences when you don't meet expectations. That is reality! That is life! You get ready for the next level when you set clear expectations and know the consequences of not achieving them.

Further, as a leader, you share that REALITY with your group. Some may need to be reminded how the Clear Expectations and Clear Consequences fit together.

Often, a leader makes the mistake of demanding that each person meets the expectations thinking that will help everyone perform better and escape any negative consequences. That sounds right, but there is a better approach, and that is why you want to focus energy and attention on Self-governance.

Self-governance

GR8 Leaders are self-governing. They don't need someone looking over their shoulder to ensure they are working or doing the right thing. One good way to define self-governance is simply - doing the right thing because it needs to be done. That is acceptable, but it is best broadened by this definition - "passing up immediate gratification for future reward."

That is such an essential element of life that most people don't do. If you want to be a GR8 Leader, you are constantly growing your self-governance and helping those with you do the same. If you don't have self-governance, you aren't ready for the next level.

Get More Done

Now think about it, if you can grow the self-governance in each person in your group, they get more done, and you are free to be more strategic. You spend less time double-checking their work because they continue to show the discipline of doing what is needed.

So, instead of demanding that everyone does the work when needed, you can move more into the self-governing or invitational model - inviting them to operate with their strengths to meet their expectations and the organization's expectations. Of course, it seems much easier to demand it because you are the boss. That strategy will work - but it has a high cost. You create an environment of compliance instead of creativity and self-governance. An environment that can get things done when the boss is watching or mad, but not so much when the boss isn't.

Your Choice

Self-governance requires a real leader dedicated to valuing people and, simultaneously, getting the job done. It is part of a leadership model that focuses on WE, while most other models focus on ME to the detriment of others.

The GR8 Leaders CATALYST System promotes the use of these 3 Daily Priorities. Check it out by clicking on the FREE Leadership assessments button above. Time to get ready for the next level.