The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader - Self-Discipline

We continue our learning and growing with the lessons contained in John C. Maxwell’s book titled The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. This book carries the subtitle: "Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow".

 

Everything rises and falls on leadership. And leadership truly develops from the inside out. If you can become the leader you ought to be on the inside, you will be able to become the leader you want to be on the outside. People will want to follow you.

Quality #18 - Self-Discipline: the first person you lead is you.

from bookboon.com

“The first and best victory is to conquer self." - Plato, Philosopher

If you want to become a leader for whom self-discipline is an asset, follow these action points:

1. Develop and Follow Your Priorities.
   • "To do important tasks, two things are necessary: a plan and not quite enough time."
   • If you can determine what's really a priority and release yourself from everything else, it's a lot easier to follow through on what's important.
   • And that's the essence of self-discipline.
2. Make a Disciplined Lifestyle Your Goal.
   1. To be successful, self-discipline can't be a one-time event. It has to become a lifestyle.
   2. One of the best ways to do that is to develop systems and routines, especially in areas crucial to your long-term growth and success.
   3. I'll do it every day for the rest of my life.
3. Challenge Your Excuses.
   1. To develop a lifestyle of discipline, one of your firsts tasks must be to challenge and eliminate any tendency to make excuses.
4. Remove Rewards Until the Job is Done.
1. Author Mike Delaney wisely remarked, "Any business or industry that pays equal rewards to its good-offs and its eager-beavers sooner or later will find itself with more goof-offs than eager-beavers."
2. If you lack self-discipline, you may be in the habit of having desserts before eating your vegetables.
5. Stay Focused on Results.
   1. The next time you are facing a must-do task and you're thinking of doing what's convenient instead of paying the price, change your focus.
   2. Count the benefits of doing what's right, and then dive in.

“A man without decision of character can never be said to belong to himself... He belongs to whatever can make captive of him." - John Foster, Author

Bringing it home:

1. Sort Out Your Priorities.
   1. Think about which two of three areas of life are most important to you.
   2. Write them down, along with the disciplines that you must develop to keep growing and improving in those areas.

      

      from myquotesclub.com

   3. Develop a plan to make the disciplines a daily or weekly part of your life.
2. List the Reasons.
   1. Take the time to write out the benefits of practicing the disciplines you've just listed.
   2. Then post the benefits someplace where you will see them daily.
3. Get Rid of Excuses.
1. Even if a reason seems legitimate, find a solution to overcome it.
2. Don't leave yourself any reasons to quit.
3. Remember, only in the moment of discipline do you have the power to achieve your dreams.

Donald G Rosenbarger

Senior Vice President

Delta Companies Inc