Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Scott Franko, President of Franko Design Concepts and Consulting. Tim Leman is taking the summer off from writing his weekly blog to spend time on an exciting project focused on culture and leadership. We hope you enjoy Scott’s wisdom and perspective.
There are a set of principles that delineate champions, winners, and leaders. They are quite simple to understand. They rise, win, and lead through ambition, dedication, and hard work with passion toward a vision or goal.
Hard work ... yes it takes lots of hard work to lead anything. I used to believe quite firmly that hard work was the answer to everything. That was back at a time, early in my own leadership, when I didn't really understand or grasp what it meant or took to truly lead. Looking back, I probably wasn't ready for the leadership role I found myself standing in. But I didn't stand still either. I took steps and learned lessons. Many of them learned the hard way. But they were valuable and I learned to apply them to my role as company president. I soon found that my ability to serve and lead others improved. So did my life.
Hard work is not the answer to everything. That's one thing I learned. It's fundamental, but not absolute. You can't depend on a leader whose advice is to go out there and work hard in order to solve the day's issues. That sort of leadership doesn't create or cultivate other leaders. That was me early in my leadership years.
What leads to great leadership?
What does it take?
How do you or how does your organization get ahead and stay ahead?
Hard work helps. But work needs direction. It requires guidance. I found ten attributes that lead to winning and making champions. They come from those lessons I learned over the years while guiding our organization. These ten attributes lead to better and more successful leadership.
I look at these ten attributes like the fingers of your two hands. You have a right hand, or the strong hand, and you have a left hand. Although there is a hierarchy of strength in those fingers from the thumb to pinky, you need all five to complete and create a grip that is firm and tight. With one hand you can grasp and hang from a rope but you won't go anywhere. In order to climb that rope you need both hands, all ten fingers - all ten attributes.
ATTITUDE. It should start with me and you, and flow out into others and the corporate culture. It is the foundation that the other attributes build upon. Without a proper attitude leadership won't be effective or last. Attitude is followed by EFFORT - the kind that doesn't give up or let the team down. TEAMWORK with SKILL and EXPERIENCE finish the right-handed grip. So many times I have observed and witnessed too much importance and focus placed on skill and experience over the weight attitude and effort carries with the team. Leaders are part of the team and they influence the team. They need to create and maintain a winning team. These attributes apply to the leader and members of the team.
The left hand attributes consist of CREATIVITY at the thumb, with ORGANIZATION following and pointing to being PROACTIVE, RELIABLE, and RESOURCEFUL as the remaining three fingers. Once these attributes become valued and are put into practice, they can bring about very positive results. These results include gaining respect, earning more compensation, winning more business, and achieving more in life. After all, who would want to follow someone who lacks creative ideas, isn't organized, doesn't have a thought-out plan, and can't be relied upon or contribute to finding solutions? Yet it happens.
Here's the bottom line: the first five attributes make people become good workers but it takes all ten to make these people become great leaders. Smart work follows hard work. These ten attributes help a person in both areas.
What's The Risk?
Hard work plays its part in leadership. But only one part - like a pair of work gloves that takes the brunt of the work. As soon as those gloves are put on, we need to remember that we control our hands and fingers. We guide them to carry out what we tell them to do. It is the same with our lives and in leadership. As leaders we need to learn, remember, and apply winning attributes. These make and keep our team and our organizations on a course of winning and becoming champions.
This content was written and shared by guest blogger, Scott Franko.
Scott is the President of Franko Design Concepts and Consulting for "brand and image." Fresh out of college with his graphic design degree from Ball State University, he went to work at custom sign maker US Signcrafters, becoming president in 1997 and an owner in 2006 where he remains today. Under his leadership the company launched the additional divisions of The Sign Store for print production and Building Impressions for ornamental architectural fabrication. Together the companies combine as a full-scale resource for creative visual solutions. To date he has authored and published five books including "Lessons from a Pair of Old Gloves" that was recognized with an Honorable Mention by Writers Digest. His nationally popular weekly blog is called Pay Notes; "pay-day" notes for thought, consideration and inspiration. He can be reached at scott@frankodesign.com.
