Being an Extraordinary Leader Through Tough and Challenging Times

Tough and challenging times will surely come. That is a given. The questionis what kind of leadership we will demonstrate during those time. Those whoare weak leaders will see lasting damage done, if not see the organizationfall apart completely. With Extraordinary Leaders at the helm, however, anorganization can actually become stronger and thrive in spite of the toughand challenging times. That should be our goal so here are some idea on howto be an Extraordinary Leader in tough and challenging times!

1. Keep Your Eye on the Big Picture.

When things get tough, everybody'stemptation is to become acutely focused on the problem. The ExtraordinaryLeader, however, will keep his or her eye on the big picture. This doesn'tmean that we don't address the problem. In fact, we have to address theproblem. But what separates a leader from a follower is that the leaderdoesn't get caught up in the problem. The leader sees the big picture andkeeps moving toward the vision. The further they take their followers towardthe vision, the further away from the problem they get.

2. Don't Get Caught in the War or the Friendly Fire.

When it gets tough eventhe most loyal team members can be tempted to start shooting and,unfortunately, they sometimes shoot each other! Rather than focusing on theenemy on the outside, they begin to question each other and find many faultswith one another that they normally would not have seen. The ExtraordinaryLeader is the one who can keep from being drug into the fray. They keeptheir eye on the big picture and act rationally and objectively. Theyunderstand that people are heated and are saying things they don't reallymean. The people are firing because they are angry or scared. TheExtraordinary Leader understands this and rises above it. This way, theytake fewer arrows and they set the example for their followers.

3. Be First to Sacrifice.

When it gets tough, like when there has to be cutsin salaries etc, the leader should do just that - lead. They need to notonly be the one who is rewarded the greatest when all is well, but they needto be the first to sacrifice. The Extraordinary leader says, "I know many ofyou are concerned with the salary cuts. I am too. In the long run we will behealthy again but for the mean time, this is necessary. Understanding this,I want you to know that I am taking a 20% pay reduction myself. I want youto know that we are in this together." The Extraordinary Leader is the firstto sacrifice and will be rewarded with the loyalty of his or her followers.

4. Remain Calm.

Panic is one of the basest of human emotions and no one isimmune to it. The Extraordinary Leader, however, takes time out regularly tothink the issues through so they can remain calm. They remind themselvesthat all is not lost and there will be another day. They remind themselvesthat being calm will enable them to make the best decisions - for themselvesand for their followers. Panic only leads to disaster, while calm leads tovictory.

5. Motivate.

In tough and challenging times, people are naturally down. Theytend to be pessimistic. They can't see how it is all going to work out.Thus, they have a hard time getting going. The Extraordinary Leader knowsthis and will focus in on being the optimistic motivator. He or she willcome to the office knowing that for the time being, the mood of the groupwill be carried and buoyed by them and their attitude. Above all else, theyseek to show how the end result will be good - and with this they motivatetheir followers to continue on, braving the current storms, and on to theirshared destiny.

6. Create Small Wins.

One of the ways to motivate is to create small wins.The Extraordinary Leader knows that in tough times his or her people thinkthat all is lost. They wonder if they can win. So the Extraordinary Leadercreates opportunities for the team to win, even if they are small. They setsmaller, more achievable goals and remind and reward the team members whenthey hit those goals. With each small win, the leader is building the esteemand attitude of his followers, digging them out of their self-created holeof fear.

7. Keep a Sense of Humor.

Look, hardly anything in life can't be laughed at.The Extraordinary Leader knows that even if the whole company goes down thedrain, we still go home to our families and live a life of love with them.The Extraordinary Leader keeps perspective and knows that we humans actirrationally when we get scared and fail, and sometimes that is humorous.Don't ever laugh at someone's expense in this situation, because that willbe perceived at cold and heartless, regardless of what you meant by it, butdo keep the ability to laugh at yourself and the situations that presentthemselves. By doing this you will keep yourself and your team in anattitude that will eventually beat the tough times.

About The Author:

Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as the President of Made for Success, a company helping individuals and organizations turn their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams.

To see Chris "live" at the upcoming Jim Rohn Weekend Event as he speaks on the subject of Secrets of Influence go to http://Chris-Widener.InspiresYOU.com/ or call 800-929-0434.