10 INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES TO BRING OUT THE LEADER IN YOU

"A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and the energy to get it done." - Ralph Nader.

I've always been fascinated by the topic of leadership. What traits, or qualities, do most great leaders possess?
Thus, the inspiration for this book! My goal was to find the very best quotes on the most important traits of leadership...like vision, passion, serving, integrity and commitment to excellence...to name a few.
 I love what Zig Ziglar said about quotes:
"Great quotes make the light bulb go off in my mind. If you're like me, you'll jump at the chance to bypass all the churning and scoop the cream right off the top—that is what quotes are...the cream of our learning!"
 Therefore, if you're a leader, or aspire to become one, it is my hope that Leadership Quotes will inspire you...to inspire others. There are so many great quotes and today, I'd like to share a small sampling:

“People are like sticks of dynamite…the power is on the inside, but nothing happens until the fuse gets lit.” —Mac Anderson “Here is a simple but powerful rule—always give people more than what they expect to get.” —Nelson Boswell “Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.” —James Baldwin “You get the best efforts from others not by lighting a fire beneath them, but by building a fire within.” —Bob Nelson “You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together we can do great things.” —Mother Teresa “Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friends.” —Walt Disney “Leadership is action, not position.” —Donald H. McGannon “Attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching?” —Unknown “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little ‘extra.’” —Jimmy Johnson “We cannot get what we’ve never had, unless we’re willing to do what we’ve never done.” —Brian Tracy

In Leadership Quotes, my goal was to find the very best quotes on the more important traits of leadership… like vision, passion, serving, integrity and commitment to excellence… to name a few. I love quotes, and I hope this will inspire you to inspire others.

WHY LONE WOLF SELLING ISN'T WORTH THE RISKS

 

Sales, like sports, is competitive. Sales is also a team sport—the two concepts aren’t mutually exclusive. Teammates congratulate each other when they win and console each other over a loss. But when you sell alone, you lose alone, and the spotlight can be awfully hot. Management will want to know what you did wrong, what you overlooked, whether you followed the correct process and did everything you could. This doesn’t mean collaboration should only happen when things start to fall apart, though—it’s about making collaboration work for you rather than against you.
Quality, Not Quantity
It is not simply about pulling in more people. It’s about bringing in the right people, at the right time. So how do you decide who to pull in and at what point in the process?
 First, consider where your customers are in their buying process so you can align your resources accordingly. For instance, in the initial stages, you might consider;

• arranging a demonstration with a person who has expertise in the particular area
• involving resources from accounting during the pricing and payment discussion  to explain financing options
• bringing in an executive to commit corporate resources to the customer, adding an extra degree of credibility to the process

If you’re considering setting up an exec-to-exec introduction, keep in mind that this has its own risks. If done correctly, it can be a demonstration of your organization’s commitment to the customer’s success. But be careful, it can also backfire if misused or poorly timed; so be judicious in your use of executives.
Finally, remember that top performers don’t typically win alone.  They have the ability—and are secure enough—to identify and secure the right resources. They understand that sustained success requires an acknowledgement that you can’t always go it alone and that tapping into the team’s strengths can be a winning strategy.

YOUR SUMMER CAMPAIGN

I am a huge believer in short-term goals. Long-term goals
are useful, but it's the short-term projects and summer
campaigns that make all the difference in life.
Your competitors will take the summer off. Your employees
will take vacations and you'll need to cover for them, and
you will want to do some of your own fishing or attend some
ball games, or take the kids camping. These are good
things! But--and it's a huge but!--the coming few weeks can
make all the difference to your bottom line at the end of
the year.
While the world is enjoying the "lazy, hazy, crazy days of
summer" you want to set new sales goals, and achieve them!
While everyone else is relaxing in the long days of summer
(or the cold days of winter for our subscribers "down
under), you want to be laying the foundation for a
magnificent year!
This summer, get a jump on the competition. Get a jump on
your future! This summer, be busy. It's during the long
days of summer that our harvest is growing and our fortune
is created. Use the summer well. Be busy about important
things and when fall comes and everyone else is picking up
where they left off this spring, you'll be far ahead of the
pack.

HOW YOUR CHARISMA AFFECT SALES SIGNIFICANTLY

If someone were to ask you what the word "charisma" means, what would you say?

The Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary defines charisma as "a personal magic of leadership arousing special popular loyalty or enthusiasm for a public figure." Knowing this, how can you develop your own personal charisma?

Develop Personal Magnetism

Charisma is also that special quality of magnetism that each person has and that each person uses to a certain degree. You have a special charisma to the people who look up to you, who respect and admire you, the members of your family and your friends and coworkers. Whenever and wherever a person feels a positive emotion toward another, he imbues that person with charisma, or attractiveness.

Project Yourself Positively

In trying to explain charisma, some people speak of an "aura." This aura is a light that is invisible to most people, but not to everyone, and that radiates out from a person and affects the people around that person in a positive or negative way. The halo around the heads of saints and mystics in many religious paintings was the artist's attempt to depict the light that people reported seeing around the heads of these men and women when they were speaking or praying, or in an intense emotional state.

Control the Impression You Make

You also have an aura around you that most people cannot see but that is there, nevertheless. This aura affects the way people react and respond to you, either positively or negatively. There is a lot that you can do, and a lot of good reasons for you to do it, to control this aura and make it work in your best interests.

Sell Your Way to the Top

If you're in sales, this aura, reflecting your level of charisma, can have a major impact on the way your prospects and customers treat you and deal with you. Top salespeople seem to be far more successful than the average salespeople in getting along with their customers. They're always more welcome, more positively received and more trusted than the others. They sell more, and they sell more easily. They make a better living, and they build better lives. Salespeople with charisma get far more pleasure out of their work and suffer far less from stress and rejection. The charismatic salesperson is almost invariably a top performer in his field and enjoys all the rewards that go with superior sales.

Influence People Around You

If you're in business, developing greater charisma can help you tremendously in working with your staff, your suppliers, your bankers, your customers and everyone else upon whom you depend for your success. People seem naturally drawn to those who possess charisma.

They want to help them and support them. When you have charisma, people will open doors for you and bring you opportunities that otherwise would not have been available to you.

Enhance Your Personal Relationships

In your personal relationships, the quality of charisma can make your life more joyous, happier. People will naturally want to be around you. Members of your family and your friends will be far happier in your company, and you will have a greater influence on them, causing them to feel better about themselves and to do better at the important things in their lives.

Action Exercises

First, identify the people with whom you seem to have a lot of charisma - the people who know you, like you, respect you the most. How could you increase your charisma with these people?

Second, identify the people who have charisma to you, the people you most like and respect and admire. What is there about them that you could copy or emulate? If you think charisma, you'll have more of it.

NETWORKING FOR FUN AND PROFIT

There's an old saying that "it's who you know that counts"
and for better or worse, it's often true.
Yes, there is a cynical aspect to the phrase, in the sense
of favoritism that is unfortunate. More often, however,
people get the referral or the promotion precisely because
(in a positive sense) of "who they know." Knowing and
liking someone makes a difference.
When it comes to networking, however, I've noticed two
unfortunate patterns that are not helpful:
First is the person (to be honest, it's usually a male) who
views networking as some strange contest to see who can
trade the most business cards in the shortest period of
time. In extreme cases, there's a weird hyper-activity that
is a huge turn-off. The quick handshake, exaggerated smile
and exchange of business cards is usually a waste of time.
The second is the person who attends networking functions
but fails to connect in a meaningful way. Often they spend
the entire time chatting with a friend, and leave without
meeting anyone new, or making any lasting impressions.
Effective networking means connecting with a few people in
an honest, sincere way that suggests you would like to help
them if you can, and would appreciate the other person's
support in exchange.
Get to know people. Call them up, go to lunch, and whenever
appropriate, exchange business cards! But what you're
looking for is a relationship. Get to know people well,
rather than collecting dozens of cards from strangers.
Follow-up with a phone call. And for goodness sake, if you
can, be sure to send some business to the other person.
Nothing will grow your own business like the gratitude of
people who have benefited from your genuine support.

SUCCESS MADE FAST

The feedback from last week's TIPS on the Fundamentals and
Skills of success was fantastic! Several people used the
phrase, "best ever," and that felt really good.
So, here's a short re-cap:
---  Fundamentals are about keeping your life simple,
organized and balanced. There may be dozens of behaviors
that fit in this category, but they boil down to the fact
that success requires a lifestyle that keeps you rested,
healthy, relaxed and in control of your life. If life seems
frantic or complicated, check your Fundamentals!
---  Skills are about being so efficient and productive
that you make your work look easy. Superior results come
from superior skills. To out-perform your competition, you
must be good at what you do. Elegance, speed and
performance count for a lot. Simple as that.
This week, I want to introduce the other two elements of
the FAST concept. The A stands for "Aptitude" and the T
stands for "Tools."
Success comes from doing what is natural, fun and creative
for you. We've all heard that, "When you do what you love,
you'll never work a day in your life." Every adult finds
some of life's tasks difficult. But other tasks come easily
for us, and a few we actually enjoy. Sometimes our Aptitude
is so strong that people are amazed that we make it look so
simple! But for us, it's a natural talent.
Your natural aptitudes and abilities are your natural
strengths, the areas where you have an "unfair advantage"
over the rest of us. And the good news is, we are all
geniuses in some area of life. Some of us have perfect
pitch, while others do complex math for the fun of it.
Others have amazing memories, a gift for languages, or a
natural enthusiasm that makes them successful in sales.
When we do what we're good at, success comes easily. No one
is amazed that Einstein is called a genius--math and
imagination were easy for him! And the natural corollary is
that success is elusive when we're doing something that is
hard for us. No one likes to swim against the current!
Do what you're good at! Do what you love, what you do for
fun, for relaxation and (let's be honest) to show off!
Aptitude and Ability are the second letter of the FAST
system for success.
Finally, let's look briefly at the T, which stands for
Tools. You need good tools.
Periodically, I'm amazed at clients who will spend a
fortune on new gadgets or the latest bright, shiny widgets.
They'll drive a new car or spend thousands on a vacation,
but skimp on the tools for their work. They'll say they
"can't afford" them, or they'll "make do" with old, worn-
out tools or last year's software rather than invest in the
tools that could open the door to unlimited success.
Don't do that to yourself!
So, here's the simple formula for success:
F -- Fundamentals. Keep life uncluttered and worry-free.
A -- Ability/Aptitude. Do what you love, what comes easily.
S -- Skills. Get very good at what you do. Be the best!
T -- Tools. Buy and use the best tools, every time.

ATTRACT RICHES (AND MONEY, TOO!)

Making money is an interesting hobby. There is lots of
money in the world and the world is awash with it. There is
more money floating around, changing hands and making
people wealthy than ever before. And yet, most of us work
very hard trying to find a way to attract more of it.
Here's a simple rule: Making money is hard; being of
service is easy.
And here's the brilliant corollary: If you can serve enough
people, they will give you money out of gratitude.
Too many business people go directly for the money and find
it awfully hard to get ahead. Money does not want to be
trapped or tricked or corralled. Money is a reward for the
service we provide to others and in some strange way, it
flows to those who serve.
Of course you need a good business plan, good people and
good products! But the primary focus must be on providing
value and serving your customer. If you do that, and do it
with honesty, style and enthusiasm, the money will follow.
It always has and always will.
We all prefer doing business with people we like and trust.
We prefer doing business with people who make things easy,
who serve us well, and who stand behind their product or
service, and do it with an easy smile and lots of grace.
Only rarely is a deal based primarily on price. I routinely
drive past businesses that might offer a lower price
because I prefer doing business with people I trust and
where I have confidence in the service I'll receive. I bet
you're the same way and in business, you want to use that
to your advantage.
Find a way to provide extraordinary service and the money
will follow. That's been my experience and I trust it. I
think it'll work for you, too.

THE "WHITE MAGIC" IN SELLING

Did you know that a vital key to sales success is listening?
The ability to listen well is absolutely indispensable for success in all human relationships. The ability to be a good listener in a sales conversation is the foundation of the new model of selling. It leads to easier sales, higher earnings and greater enjoyment from the sales profession.

Being A Good Talker is Not Enough

Many salespeople have been brought up with the idea that, in order to be good at your profession, you must be a glad-hander and a good talker. You have even heard people say, "You have the 'gift of the gab'; you should be in sales!"

Focus On the Other Person

Nothing could be further from the truth. As many as seventy five percent of all top salespeople are defined as introverts on psychological tests. They are very easy going and other-centered. They would much rather listen than talk. They are very interested in the thoughts and feelings of other people and they are quite comfortable sitting and listening to their prospects. They would much rather listen than talk in a sales situation. Poor salespeople dominate the talking, but top salespeople dominate the listening.

Practice "White Magic" With Everyone

Listening has even been called "white magic." It is too rarely engaged in by business people. When a salesperson develops a reputation for being an excellent listener, prospects and customers feel comfortable and secure in his or her presence. They buy more readily, and more often.

Practice the 70/30 Rule

You've heard it said that God gave man two ears and one mouth, and he is supposed to use them in that proportion.

Top salespeople practice the "70/30 rule." They talk and ask questions 30% or less of the time while they listen intently to their customers 70% or more of the time. They use their ears and mouth in the right ratio.Action Exercises

Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, resolve today that, from now on, you are going to dominate the listening in every sales conversation. Become comfortable with silence.

Second, practice the 70/30 rule in every sales conversation. Listen 70% of the time and only talk and ask questions 30% of the time.

 

THE FUNDAMENTALS AND THE SKILLS OF SUCCESS

This week, I've been thinking about the miracle of Personal
Development. Investing in yourself, in your skills and
habits, in your education and self-discipline is basic to
every kind of success. And it isn't hard! In fact, most of
the time, it's fun. Personal Development opens doors!
At birth, humans are unusually helpless and ignorant
creatures. We can't feed or clothe ourselves. We can't
walk, talk or do arithmetic. But we are not mere lumps of
protoplasm, either! Every mother (and father) will tell you
each baby has a unique personality. Some sleep more, others
laugh more. Some cry more, some are especially curious,
some are cranky.
And then we start to learn. We learn to crawl, then to walk
and eventually, we climb onto furniture and counters. We
scare our parents to death! We learn to read and write, to
play with others, to ride bikes and explore our world.
Slowly, we find our way as budding young adults.
But then something very strange happens. Some of us keep
learning and exploring, taking risks and building things,
while others get out of school, get a job or get married or
buy a house, and our Personal Development slows or even
stops. We develop routines and habits, we get busy, we make
assumptions and. . .we fall into ruts. Sometimes those ruts
last until we die.
I find that very sad. I think it's a waste of human
potential. I think it deprives us of adventure while
depriving the world of the contributions we might have
made.
Don't do that!
I'll write more about this in coming weeks, but the truth
is that success in almost any endeavor is based on
mastering a small number of Fundamentals and an equally
small number of Skills. The Fundamentals have never
changed, although few seem to master them. The Fundamentals
of personal discipline, avoiding debt, managing our time
and energy, devoting ourselves to worthwhile goals and
clarifying our priorities have never changed. These things
are essential to living a good life.
The Fundamentals are neither difficult nor mysterious. But
they do require a lifetime of Personal Development. They
ask for our highest commitment. They demand that, when we
fall or fail, we pick ourselves up and get back on track.
There may be a thousand ways to phrase or word them, but
the Fundamentals are all around us. They can be observed
and studied and learned by watching any successful personal
we admire.
Personal Development is a lifetime dedication to a small
number of Fundamentals.
And what of the Skills for success in any particular
project? The specific skills are more varied, of course,
but usually they are equally few in number and can be
mastered by most. Sure, the skills for losing weight are
different than the skills to become a surgeon. The skills
for being a great parent are different than the skills to
fly a plane. But they are not mysterious!
If anyone else has done it, so can you.
Most of us know the Fundamentals. Or at least, we have some
clues about where to begin. Discipline and honesty, love
and kindness, clarity of purpose and simplicity have been
Fundamental for a thousand years. There is no mystery about
this! What is missing for many of us is a commitment to
mastering them. We fail to think clearly and to apply them
honestly to our own lives, in our own unique situation.
As for the Skills, these too, are easily grasped. Others
have led the way and left a path to follow. They've written
books, organized seminars and offered to mentor us.
Do you want to make more money? It's easy! Sure, the
economy is sluggish and government regulations may be a
problem. Sure, it takes time and we all have our excuses.
But the Fundamentals of discipline and desire, clarity and
creativity and service have not changed. And the skills are
all around us! Save a bit every month. Invest wisely. Start
a business or trade stocks. Buy real estate or gold or
teach what you know to students who are eager to learn. You
can increase your income and expand your net worth if you
master the Fundamentals and learn (and practice) the
Skills.
Do you want to learn French or travel the country in an RV?
Do you want to build homes or dance the Tango? Do you want
to improve your health or write a novel or do some other
great and marvelous thing? Personal Development is the key,
and it's largely free of charge!
Success is about mastering a few Fundamentals to simplify
and organize your life. Then learn and apply the Skills
that are unique to your chosen goal. This is not hard, it's
as easy as learning to walk and talk and terrify your
mother by climbing on the counter to get that cookie you
really, really wanted. If you could do it as a six-year-
old, you can do it now. And, we'll all celebrate and envy
you as an "over-night success!"

STEER CLEAR OF LAST MINUTE PRICE NEGOTIATIONS

 
 

You’ve invested months with your account and are about ready to close. But even

after all of your hard work, your customer wants a discount before he signs.

Could we have done better to uncover the bases during the sales process to avoid

this last minute negotiation? Remember that while negotiations typically arise at

the end of a cycle, it should be an activity that begins at the start of the sales cycle

and continues to the end. A couple of key rules for successful negotiations:

1. Negotiation affects long-term relationships. What you do now with your

customers can affect the opportunity to continue to win business in the

future.

2. The solution still needs to satisfy the customer’s business goals. This

includes business challenges and personal interests that may or may not

be readily visible within the sale.

Introducing your strategy for negotiation early on allows customers to see that

your goal is to ultimately arrive at a solution that is good for both parties. When

you indicate that a Win for them is a Win for you, customers are likely to provide

you more access to their business challenges, motivations and other factors that

could influence the success of your sale.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

HOW TO PROGRAM YOURSELF FOR SUCCESS

Personal excellence is perhaps the most important of all invisible and intangible assets that you can acquire. Achieving personal excellence in your business or industry requires lifelong dedication. But once you get into the top 10% of your field, you will be one of the highest paid people in the country. You will enjoy the respect and esteem of the people around you. You will be able to live your life the way you want to live it. You will enjoy high levels of self-esteem, self-respect, and personal pride.

Build Your Intellectual Assets

Each person has or can acquire three forms of intellectual capital. These require an investment of study and hard work, but they pay off in higher income for the rest of your life. The first type of intellectual capital you can acquire consists of your core knowledge, skills, and abilities. These are the result of education, experience, and training. They determine how well you do your job and the value of your contribution to your business.

Build Your Internal Knowledge

The second form of intellectual capital that you posses is your knowledge of how your business operates internally, in comparison to that of your competitors or any other business. Each business develops a series of systems, procedures, methods, techniques, and strategies to market, sell, produce, deliver products and services, and satisfy customers. Each business has internal systems for accounting, administration, and financial controls. These systems take many years to develop and considerable time for a new person to learn. A person who knows and understands these systems intimately has a form of intellectual capital that is difficult for the company to replace.

Build Your Ability to Get Results

The third form of intellectual capital that you possess, and that is perhaps the key determinant of your earning ability, is your knowledge and understanding of how you can get financial results in a competitive market. This includes your knowledge of your products and services and how to sell them.
It includes your knowledge of customers and suppliers and how to deal with them. It embraces your familiarity with bankers, lawyers, accountants, and government officials and how to interact with them effectively. This form of intellectual capital may take years to build, and it is extremely valuable to your organization.
You first responsibility to yourself is to develop your earning ability to a high level. You do this by continually increasing your intellectual capital, by upgrading your ability to do your job, by becoming a valuable part of your organization, and by getting more and better financial results for your organization.

Action Exercise

Take time to get to know every component of your business. Get to know your customers and learn everything there is to know about your products and services.

LEARNED ANYTHING NEW?

We constantly hear that what you know and who you know are
the twin paths to success. I believe that, and yet I'm
constantly amazed at how little responsibility people take
for up-grading their skills.
This week, I learned that the garage where I take my car
requires their employees to spend more hours (and more
money) per year on continuing education than most states
require for doctors, lawyers, or other professionals. Think
about that the next time you take your car in for repairs--
or the next time you talk with your physician!
Periodically I hear frightening accounts of how few books
the average person reads, or how few classes they take
after they leave school. I remember once hearing a friend
say that if her employer wanted her to get more education,
"they'll have to pay me for it." What a tragic attitude!
The keys to success are being able to do more, quicker and
better than your competition, and most of the time that
means KNOWING more than the next person. It means knowing
more about language and culture, knowing more about your
industry and having better contacts. It means knowing HOW
to learn, and using it to your advantage.
As Brian Tracy said for years, read the books. Attend the
seminars. Take the classes and expand your world. Jim Rohn
put it this way: "Work harder on yourself than you do on
your job."
To work less and earn more, you've got to know more than
your competitors. This week, sign up for at least one
seminar. Check a book out of the library. Plant the seeds
for your future.

YOU CAN'T SCORE A GOAL SITTING ON THE SIDELINES

After his first audition, a casting director told actor Sidney Poitier, “Why don’t you stop wasting people’s time and go out and become a dishwasher or something?” It was at that moment, recalls Poitier, that he decided to devote his life to acting. He wasn’t going to let someone else decide his life path. “There’s nothing in the middle of the road, but yellow stripes and dead armadillo,” says Jim Hightower. Decide to do something now to make your life better. The choice is yours. “My decision is maybe—and that’s final.” Is this you? Being decisive is essential for a successful life. If you deny yourself commitment, what will you do with your life? Every accomplishment, great or small, starts with a decision.  David Ambrose remarked, “If you have the will to win, you have achieved half your success; if you don’t, you have achieved half your failure.” The moment you definitely commit yourself, change begins. All sorts of things happen to help you that never would have otherwise occurred. Kenneth Blanchard observed, “There is a difference between interests and commitment. When you are interested in doing something, you only do it when it is convenient. When you are committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.” Lack of decisiveness has caused more failures than lack of intelligence or ability.  Indecision often gives an advantage to the other person because they did their thinking beforehand. Helen Keller said, “Science may have found a cure for most evil; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all—the apathy of human beings.” Don’t leave a decision for tomorrow that needs to be made today.  Remember, don’t be a “middle-of-the-roader” because the middle of the road is the worst place to try to go forward. You can do everything you ought to do once you make a decision. Today, decide on your dream.