Article written by Dawn Burnett, Reporter for OnFire Books
Have you ever wondered how some people advance in life while others don’t? How do some people become CEOs of companies while others are employees of the CEOs? According to a recent study by the Center for Creative Leadership, nearly 40 percent of new chief executives fail outright within their first 18 months on the job, and even more of them fail to live up to the expectations of those who hired them.
So what do successful leaders do that separates them from the pack?
A common characteristic I have found that has made leaders successful is passion and the desire to succeed. The choice to take the necessary steps to achieve their goals; they didn’t wait around hoping that someone would make them successful. The greats have made a personal choice to win in life, to develop and make a plan for growth and forward positive movement; they are clear about the end result they want to achieve.
I recently had the honor of sitting down with author and founder of the Center For Leadership And Growth, Jose Ruiz and I asked him what gave him the drive and passion to set up his company and what keeps him successfully moving in the right direction. Here’s what he had to say:
Jose Ruiz: I was driving down my usual commute and thinking about my family, and how I grew up without a father. I started thinking about my kids and the time I was missing out with them due to the position I held in Corporate America, which didn’t allow me to capture their special moments. I wanted to find more balance in life and in return enhance the lives of others. So I decided to take the decade of studies on personal growth that I had and develop a system that would enhance the lives of others. When we study personal growth we become better people and that spreads to those around us. I have a passion to teach and inspire the youth, supply them with tools that they need so they can perform better at anything they choose to do from entrepreneurship to public speaking, giving them an advantage in life that I as well as many other adults wish we had when we were young. I really see this as a movement, that can help to lessen the turmoil in the world.
That is a very important ingredient to the recipe of success, adding value to people. It really doesn’t matter what product or service one supplies, if people feel that their lives are enhanced, they will take action and explore their options. So leadership starts with the WHY, the mindset and decision to not quit, to get knocked down and get back up proceeding ahead towards greatness. But even though some leaders get back up, they still fail, why do you feel that is Jose?
Jose Ruiz: The leaders that fail are the ones that lead with their egos instead of self-leadership. What I mean by that is they fail to meet themselves, A successful leader holds the skill of being true to their word, holding themselves accountable because when they don’t they let others down and lose connection. Once there is a breakdown in connection, then lack in all areas of business starts to follow.
Yes, I would agree, I have personally seen in my own life where leaders are more in a management state of mind, they command results from their staff instead of leading by example, inspiring them to do well. It all comes down to intentions, if your end goal is self-driven then the response from others won’t be great, I don’t know anyone who enjoys the thunder of another’s ego mind. It’s essential for the greats to always be working on their subconscious mind since it’s 90% of what rules their daily decisions. The more we enhance our minds and grow the more enlightened we become and that is what we pass along to others around us. The workplace and the world become better as a collective entity.
So what advice would you supply Jose for anyone who is considering stepping into leadership?
Jose Ruiz: The advice I would give them is to be intentional with everything they do. Growth doesn’t just happen, you have to be intentional, the same goes for your work values and ethics, they don’t just happen, you have to work on them. Do everything in your life with intention and that will increase the positive value that you as a leader brings to the table. In fact, my book Redefined Leadership is easy to read and understand roadmap on how to live an intentional life which elevates readers to a place of self-discovery causing them to clearly define their purpose in life.
So by living an intentional life we tend to have compassion for others, we are mindful of our surroundings, and we focus on the positive and how we can self-improve to enhance not only our own lives but also the lives around us. In return, we feel happy, connected, calmer, confident, and well. But if you want to win, you first have to get in the game.
