To be an effective leader, an individual should exhibit the characteristics distinctly associated with leadership. The three most valuable qualities are as follows:

I. Decisiveness

Leadership requires and, by all accounts, demands decisiveness. If someone wants to step into a leadership position or is a leader of other people, you cannot be indecisive. Indecision is the downfall of productivity as much as it is the scourge of achievement. Not only can indecisiveness cost you time and money, but it can also cost lives.

Example 1: Time & Money

On time & money, let’s say we have a high-level executive who must fly to London to close a multi-million-dollar deal for his company. The burden of responsibility falls upon him to get the deal done by a specific time; otherwise, the deal is off.

A decisive man will take the time to carefully review the terms of the deal within a timely fashion, weigh the pros & cons, and make an informed decision without second-guessing himself.

Example 2: Critical Situations

Regarding critical situations associated with decisiveness, one example would involve an infantry officer in the military. The individual in this position shoulders an incredible burden of responsibility, holding the lives of the men and women under his command in their hands, most evidently when down range.

Let’s say the lieutenant received an intelligence report that cites hostiles gathering in a nearby village. There’s little time before the enemy takes over the entire area. An effective leader, as quickly as he can, will assess the situation, determine a course of action that gives the best probability of success, and act decisively to neutralize the threat.

Conversely, should the lieutenant be an individual who consistently second-guesses himself and has trouble making a decision, his indecisiveness will profoundly effect the situation, resulting in a delayed course of action and poor outcome that may end up jeopardizing the lives of his men and the villagers.

Leadership requires and demands decisiveness. It also requires following through on your decisions. Having the ability to be decisive is a very important attribute for all leaders to possess if they are going to successfully manage through extremely difficult circumstances or challenging situations.

II. Sets the Example

The most effective leaders will practice what they preach and set an example for others to follow. Leading by example involves effort, selflessness, and personal fortitude.

An individual who adopts the mentality of setting an example to gain people’s trust represents the ideal model of a good leader. Moreover, a good leader will not tell others to do something they are unwilling to do themselves.

Whether in a position of authority or leadership, to be an effective leader, that individual must demonstrate to others that they are willing to lead by example, which subsequently nurtures trust and gains respect among peers.

Example 1: Skydiving

For example, let’s say you have a seasoned skydiver taking up his friends for their first inaugural dive. The friends are understandably nervous, having never done anything before this instance.

The seasoned skydiver, however, exhibits a great deal of confidence and is reassuring them through a Q&A session before takeoff. Moreover, he is demonstrating a high level of expertise through critical instruction. He thoroughly explains how to correctly put on the parachute, which rings to pull, and how to position your legs and feet upon landing.

When the time comes, the friends on the plane have since reached the appropriate jump altitude. One of the friends, however, is still wary about jumping and insists that the seasoned skydiver go first before he jumps. This is the moment of truth where the seasoned skydiver gets the opportunity to demonstrate what he’s discussed, setting a prime example for the others to follow.

Example 2: Entrepreneurial

Another (less extreme) example is two entrepreneurs looking to start a service-based business. The first partner tells the second that the idea is solid, and the second partner is just as enthusiastic. However, trouble arises when the first partner is unwilling to put additional capital into the business. He asks the second to assume more risk and put more money on the line.

While the second partner does that, the first takes it easy, does little work of consequence, and becomes inclined to let the chips fall where they may regarding the business.

The second partner, who believes in his business’s idea, puts additional capital into the company and spends close to fourteen-hour days trying to get things set up. The second partner is the person who demonstrates commitment and is the one leading by example. Good quality leaders will lead by example, and they do so intending to lead from the front.

III. Accountability

Good leaders allow themselves to be held accountable and live in the realm of responsibility. Personal accountability is something that is mostly lacking in today’s era. Unfortunately, many people look to shift the blame onto others when things go wrong. Many people are unwilling to step into leadership roles because they involve too much personal risk.

The burden of leadership is a huge responsibility. The truth is that all people are held accountable on some level. However, leaders face a far more significant burden because their decisions can affect themselves and the group of people they lead.

A person willing to lead others must be accountable to himself and his group. That means accepting responsibility for the decisions made and the actions that follow.

Example 1: News Media Editor

An excellent example of this would be an editor in charge of a newspaper. The editor gives the green light to publish an article that has turned out to be false. A considerable uproar materializes as people read the piece. The editor who put the story forward will have one of two options: retract the account or leave it alone and prepare for a significant lawsuit, which will directly come back to the editor.

As a decision-maker and leader in this business, the editor is accountable for deciding which articles submitted by his writers will wind up in the periodical. In this particular circumstance, someone who is personally accountable, (in this case the editor) will take responsibility for the article in question. He will retract the false story, and also deal with the consequences as he is responsible for ensuring the accuracy of the stories printed.

Accountability causes us to consider our actions more thoroughly. When an enormous responsibility is placed on you, there is also the notion that you are accountable for the decisions made, steps taken, and outcomes realized. One of the most critical parts of leadership is the self-realization that being in charge at any level means being held accountable.

(Article originally published on February 18th, 2021 on Medium.com)

One of the last places you’d probably expect to find a lesson that so aptly applies to business can be found within the pages of a seventeenth-century samurai’s masterpiece, The Book of Five Rings. Written by legendary swordsman and strategist - Miyamoto Musashi, the aforementioned work contains an extraordinary collection of axioms that primarily focuses on techniques revolving around swordplay and strategy.

Upon the initial reading, I was struck by how well Musashi articulates the nuanced points of a warrior’s strategy, mainly drawing from his own philosophical teachings and personal experiences.

Enthusiastically combing through the book’s pages, I happened on something that immediately stood out—one-chapter detailed commentary on initiatives taken during combat.

The writings then delve into the specifics, and, during the course of reading, I couldn’t help but take away something much more profound about Musashi’s instruction. Essentially, it had to do with a man’s approach and the nature of his actions.

According to Musashi, three actionable initiatives can be taken during the course of combat. They are as follows:

The Advancing Initiative

“When you want to be the first to attack, compose yourself and then seize the initiative in one rapid motion.”

- Miyamoto Musashi

This initiative requires you to be ready and seize your opportunity in quick succession, lest your opponent gets the advantage. Implementing this is akin to preparedness ahead of time and moving with intrepidity to strike first.

Next is what’s referred to as the Delayed Initiative.

“When the enemy comes at you, give not the slightest reaction and feign weakness. As soon as they come in close, spring away suddenly, with your readiness to strike apparent in your posture.”

-Miyamoto Musashi

Within the framework of the delayed initiative, Musashi is encouraging non-reactiveness at the onset of the engagement and even diverting your opponent’s attention (i.e., feigning weakness). This may lure your adversary into a false sense of assurance, which may cause him to let his guard down as a result and, at the same time, raise your chances of successfully striking.

Lastly, you have the Reciprocal Initiative.

“When the enemy comes in with a hasty attack, remain composed and ready your assault. Once they get in close, lash out without warning.”

-Miyamoto Musashi

The reciprocal initiative alludes to the fact that the enemy will be hapless in his action. This may be intentional to throw you off balance. Notwithstanding, with the same level of unexpected fervor that they bring forward their attack, you are to respond in kind…without warning.

A Businessman’s Takeaways

To me, certain parallels can be drawn from Miyamoto’s initiatives that similarly mirror familiar states of being, particularly when it comes to the framework of conducting business. They are as follows:

· Proactive

· Inactive

· Reactive

Every one of us is tied to actions that can be grouped into each of the above categories. When it comes to business, the exhibition of such approaches can have a marked impact on day-to-day operations. Consequently, it can also mean the difference between success and failure.

Proactive

Much like with the advancing initiative, a proactive approach implies someone who insists on moving first and advancing forward to achieve a given objective. If an individual is to be successful in business, a proactive person will utilize this approach to make things happen. They will actively engage, network, generate leads, and ultimately work towards making sales.

Regarding Musashi’s thoughts on the advancing initiative, the proactive person is typically keen to advance and move before or ahead of his competitors. For the sake of successfully growing your business, become accustomed to being the person who is more often than not proactive, aiming always to get ahead of your competition.

Inactive

When it comes to the delayed initiative, it can involve a period of waiting or inactivity. In a generalized sense, you may be waiting for a better opportunity or circumstances before making your next move.

While understandable, being inactive for extended periods is not ideal. However, if your inactivity is for the sake of composing yourself before maneuvering or thinking carefully about something, then being inactive (albeit temporarily) can serve its purpose.

Sometimes, as with combat, in business (which in many instances is not so much different from combat), there are scenarios where you must wait. Utilize the time of inactivity to exercise patience and think carefully about your next moves before taking action.

Don’t be the perpetually inactive individual waiting for things to happen; be the person who applies careful consideration and makes things happen.

Reactive

Someone who is reactive is an individual who is ultimately responding to what’s happened and adjusting to the current circumstances. With Musashi’s thoughts in mind on the reciprocal initiative, you will react and respond to what has already occurred.

The overwhelming consensus on being reactive when it comes to business is typically seen as a faux pas. However, a notable exception is when life sometimes just doesn’t allow us to get ready before getting hit (there’s a severe downturn in the economy, we lose significant market share to a competitor); therefore, it’s in those instances, there’s no way around being reactive.

Notwithstanding, being reactive is typically not preferable when it comes to business. However, it can still afford you the opportunity to bounce back and respond with a matching level of intensity to the situation in which you were initially caught off guard.

Closing Thoughts

Much like in combat, you must think strategically and move purposefully to amplify the prospect of your business’s success. Utilize approaches that will best serve the aforementioned interest, and to the best of your abilities, make every effort to succeed.

One of the most valuable pieces of advice I’d ever received when starting out as an executive consultant was to “always look at things from the client’s perspective.” A close mentor and valued colleague would often repeat this statement as a reminder that would help keep the client’s needs at the forefront of my thoughts.

It was wise advice that profoundly impacted the way I do business. Moreover, it puts into perspective what the client is looking for, their expectations and provides valuable insight as to how they think.

If I can get a sense of what the client is looking for according to their perspective, that becomes my focus - synchronizing with their line of thought so that we are as closely aligned as possible to see things get done.

Aligning your perspective with the client’s is beneficial in that it yields the following:

I. It communicates to the client that you understand where they’re coming from.

• Each individual has a distinct way of thinking, and it speaks volumes to a client when you can understand their line of thought and execute on behalf of their interests. Subsequently, it also makes working for them much easier.

II. It allows you to build rapport.

• When two people work towards the same goal, and one understands the other, that increases the likelihood of cultivating genuine rapport, laying the groundwork for a solid working relationship.

III. It builds trust and gains their confidence.

• The most crucial part of any relationship is trust. The client must be able to trust you, and one of the ways to affirm their trust is through understanding their perspective and, to the best of your abilities, carrying out your duties according to their specifications.

• If you can demonstrate that, then you’ve shown you understand them, can relate to them (on some level), and effectively exhibited your competency in delivering results in line with their expectations.

Looking at things from the client’s perspective is among the most important practices to develop when conducting business. It is to your benefit to accommodate them as much as possible in this regard. After all, the client has elected to use your services and is paying you a fee to see things get done.

As a separate aside, having a good understanding of their perspective fosters a relationship and allows them to become more comfortable working with you down the road. Ultimately, this increases the prospect of the client retaining you in subsequent instances, barring the scenario that the job isn’t successfully completed.

When it’s clear you can relate to their perspective, this will undoubtedly build trust and personal credibility, further strengthening relationship ties and potentially increasing the prospect of client retention.

At the end of the day, seeing things from the client’s perspective is good way to go about business and something well worth putting into practice.