Everyone's writing a “leadership secrets” book these days. I've thought about it but then I realized that I don't have enough leadership secrets for a book… and they're not that secret anyway.
In business, I try to lead with four simple rules. None of these should come as a surprise to anyone. They are tried and true rules that have served me well for years:
- Dream big. Part of the fun of starting a business is envisioning its massive success years down the road and working to build toward that success. I don't want to build businesses with the hope of being a small corner store; I want a business that will put vast conglomerates like GE or Microsoft to shame. Will I ever achieve it? Who knows, but I'll have a lot of fun trying.
- Plan to succeed. Planning is so essential to a business. Businesses often fail when they fail to plan. I have dedicated myself to helping other businesses succeed through proper, careful planning.
- Gather a strong team. We can't do it on our own. We need to surround ourselves with a group of people who can work well together. Each person's weaknesses should be accommodated by another's strengths.
- Execute tirelessly. Entrepreneuring is about lighting a fire in your soul for something and fanning it into flame. There will be times when you're exhausted but often the only way to be successful as a business owner is to execute your plan and keep pushing yourself to execute it further. That doesn't mean you don't take vacations, but it does mean that make sure you enjoy the journey as a journey.
