The Four Laws Of Leadership (part One) by Brent Filson

The Four Laws Of Leadership (part One) by Brent Filson

Summary: The best leadership is motivational. But the author contends that most leaders misunderstand motivation. In this two part article, he describes four laws of motivation that will help you be a better motivational leader.

Leadership is motivational or it's stumbling in the dark. After all, isn't it more effective to have people want to go from point A to point B instead of to be ordered to go from A to B?

The ability to instill "want to" in others, to motivate them, marks the difference between average leaders and great leaders.

But many leaders misunderstand the true meaning of motivation. And if you misunderstand its meaning, you can't make it happen. Break the laws, and you'll fail to motivate people. Or you may motivate them -- but motivate them against you.

Here are four "laws" of motivation that you must adhere to if you want to consistently motivate people to get great results.

First, let's be clear about what motivation is. The word derives from the Latin root "to move." Motivation involves movement; yet the Latin root indicates it's not just movement but also "that which triggers movement."

Don't get me wrong. I'm not counting angels on the head of a pin. This subtle double meaning in the very root of the word motivation represents a manifest leadership lesson for you.

This lesson can be understood within the context of the four laws of motivation.

Law 1. Motivation is physical action. Note that the first two letters of the word are the first two letters of words such as "motor", "movement", "momentum", "motion". Those words denote physical action. Motivation isn't what people think or feel but what they physically do. Furthermore, it is not simply engaging in physical action but also preparing for physical action. In other words, there is action and also that which triggers the action.

Law 2. Motivation is their choice. Many leaders are clueless about motivation because they think it's their own choice. They think because they simply want people to be motivated, people should automatically be motivated. That misunderstanding has caused many a leader to come to grief. The act of their being motivated is not your choice, it's theirs, always. Motivation can't be done to people. People must "do" motivation to themselves. Leaders communicate, and the people they lead motivate themselves.

Law 3. Emotion drives motivation. The words emotion and motivation come from the same Latin root "to move". When you want to move people to take action, engage their emotions. Motivation involves emotionally commitment.

Law 4. Face-to-face speech is generally the best way to motivate people (i.e., have those people choose to be motivated.)

With these concepts in mind, you can begin to get a clear understanding of motivation by studying the past.

This exercise will sharpen your ideas on motivation. Who were the three most effective leaders in history? Why were they effective? Who were the three least effective? Why were they ineffective? Who are the most effective leaders in your industry? Why are they effective? Who are the least effective leaders in your industry? Why are they ineffective? Who are the most effective leaders in your organization? Why are they ineffective?

Now go back over each answer and tie it to motivation or lack there of. What motivational lesson is there in each answer? In doing so, you may find yourself changing and sharpening your ideas about motivation; and hence changing and sharpening your leadership skills.

In Part Two, I will expand on each law.


2005The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
About the Author
Brent Filson is the founder and president of The Filson Leadership Group, Inc.and for more than 20 years has been helping leaders of top companies worldwide get audacious results. Sign up for his free leadership e-zine and get a free white paper: "49 Ways To Turn Action Into Results," at http://www.actionleadership.com

Coping with Grief - It's Called Living Through It by Gail H. Stone

Coping with Grief - It's Called Living Through It by Gail H. Stone

"Dad, I tried to wake Nana, I think she's dead."
"Grandpa died yesterday."
"Oh my God, Daddy's dead."
"Uncle Jack died today."
"Grandma died last night."
"I'm standing with the body of your deceased father-in-law."
"Hon, I think we should get a divorce."
"I'm sorry, but we weren't able to resuscitate your mother."
"Mike called. He thinks Mary is dead."
"I'm sorry to leave this on your voice mail, but Uncle Andy died last night."

This litany of phone calls and conversations on death or parting has all occurred in the past 30 years of my life, most in the last 20. Whether I was the one delivering or receiving these messages, the speaking of each one was the start of the long, seemingly endless process of grieving. Often, I felt so sucker punched that I doubted I could go on. Getting up the next day seemed impossible, yet somehow I almost always did.

Something deep inside told me I had to, that there was no other way to get through it, but to keep moving. I attribute that to my deep belief in a higher plan and a sense that getting through this trial was like going through a tunnel. I told myself that if I put one foot in front of the other, I would eventually come out the other side and be able to feel somewhat whole again. Sometimes, it was all I could do to put one toe in front of the other, but all forward movement I deemed positive.

The last five instances happened within the past five years, with my mother and sister-in-law and godfather's deaths back to back in '99, '00 and '01. Looking for the reason why I have been given so many opportunities to experience the grip of grief first hand, I now believe it was in order to help others and ease their way.

If you've been here, you know. There's no magic pill to get you through the immense pain, intense sadness and amazing denial, anger and upset that you feel. However, I did create, through trial and error, a few simple practices which have profoundly impacted my journey through the tunnel and I would like to share them with you.

(1) Every single day, let in the love of family, friends and co-workers. On those days that you feel you can't bear to see anyone or when you realize that some of them have moved on, thinking in error that you are "better", read through the cards you've received. Save and then play voice mail messages and re-read e-mails of support. Give your heart a visible reminder that others do care and want to share your pain. Let them - mentally off-load a bit of it onto their shoulders. Don't try to carry it all by yourself. It can crush you and it will try. Don't let it!

(2) Create a morning or evening meditation time. Even if you can't see how to find the time, do it somehow. This was especially helpful to me in getting through the horrible time of adjustment to life alone after my divorce and then again when my Mom died. I had always said a few wake-up prayers, but found I needed more. I started with Jerry Jampolsky's book, "Love is the Answer" and read one (short) chapter a day. Then, I bought the book "A Course on Miracles" and meditated on the daily passages. While the 365 lessons seemed to represent a huge commitment, the daily phrases were so empowering that I continued. Additionally, I saved affirmations from various sources like Science of Mind magazine and The Daily Word and read them daily. Any quote from a book or article that I thought would motivate me to get up and make the day a less painful one than the day before, I saved and re-read daily. I posted the best of them around my office and in my meditation area. I still do. When you actively start looking for empowering passages, you will be touched and inspired by what comes your way.

(3) Finally, but most importantly, express yourself in some way often! I would recommend that you do it daily, as well. I found out the hard way that keeping emotions bottled up or trying to ignore them hurt more in the long run and adversely affected my health. Talk to people about your loved one, write about him/her, start a journal of your thoughts and feelings, scream whenever you can find a place where you won't alarm the neighbors, family members or fellow travelers, do some kind of physical exercise to work off steam - whenever and wherever you can vent, do so daily.

To anyone caught in the black and blue morass of grief, I invite you to consider adding these three emotionally healing practices to your daily life. They have helped me come through some horribly upsetting times, still sad at heart, but feeling more serene in the knowledge that I can and will go on - living my life to the best of my ability - for my dear ones and with my dear ones safely ensconced in my mind and heart forevermore.

2005Creative Mastery Coaching, LLC. All rights reserved.
Gail Stone is Founder of Creative Mastery Coaching, LLC. Find out how you can Get a Grip and Go! and register for your Get A Grip Clips today at http://www.GetAGripAndGo.com Enjoy a burst of energy and inspiration delivered to your inbox every three days.
About the Author
Grief touches us all at some point in life. Here are three healing practices that will help ease the pain.