A recent article in the Harvard Business Review talked about secrets of the “super bosses” … bosses that stand out not only because of their skills and talents, but because they possess that something extra that makes them legends in their field.

But just what is that something extra? Isn’t having extreme talent, knowledge and unparalleled success in a field the essential set of ingredients for a super boss?

Apparently there is an additional secret ingredient in the recipe for a superboss.

In A League All Their Own

Super bosses. They’re trailblazers in their field, groundbreakers who go where no man (or woman!) has gone before. Over a decade ago, Sydney Finkelstein, Steven Roth Professor of Management and Director of the Center for Leadership at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and author of Superbosses: How Exceptional Leaders Manage the Flow of Talent, became determined to discover just how icons like Ralph Lauren, Mary Kay Ash, Larry Ellison and others soared to super status.

Finkelstein researched extensively, reading countless books and articles. He conducted over 200 interviews. Then he looked for a commonality among his studies to see if any particular behaviors or characteristics stood out.

He found traits that many leaders share: confidence, competiveness and integrity. But then he realized that “something.” He calls it the “people strategies” that superbosses utilize. “Their remarkable success as talent spawners was not the result of some innate genius. These leaders follow specific practices in hiring and honing talent—practices that the rest of us can study and incorporate into our own repertoires.”

A Curious Discovery at the Top

Finkelstein discovered while researching top leaders in a specific industry that as many as half of them once worked for the same renowned leader.

“If you take the top fifty most prominent or influential people in many industries, just one or a few top people mentored a disproportionate share of that talent.”

He also noticed that superbosses don’t follow standard hiring protocol. “Superbosses begin by seeking out unusually gifted people.”

Superbosses take chances in their hiring, says Finkelstein, and are willing to overlook things like lack of college degrees or experience. Oftentimes they disregard a conventional interview and instead ask prospective employees odd questions – or just simply observe. They seek out candidates with unusual abilities. He cited, among others, Oprah Winfrey in television, Ralph Lauren in fashion and Alice Waters in food. Despite the various personalities, all possessed an extraordinary ability to find the best talent in their particular industry.

Knock Out Combination

Superbosses are intense and passionate about their work. They have extremely high work standards – are geniuses at motivation, galvanizing people to achieve more than they believed they could.

In another Harvard Business Review article Finkelstein took note of Jon Stewart, an icon in the field of comedy, and the legacy he leaves in retirement as a superboss. Over two dozen female staffers working for Stewart described him as:

“generous, humble, fair, genuine, supportive, stubborn, exacting, goofy, hands-on, driven, occasionally infuriating, ethical, down to earth.”

It was those very same characterizations Finkelstein discovered in many of the superbosses he studied.

Elements of Excellence

Finkelstein’s extensive research on leaders and the characteristics that make them stand out far above the rest to rank as superbosses has made him an authority on the topic. “Superbosses can be fierce or gentle, belligerent or self- deprecating, but whatever their style, they do a much better job in­spiring and teaching because they get in the trenches with protégés, leading by example and giving them the personalized attention they re­quire to move up quickly.”

Good companies don’t have to die, says Finkelstein. With the right talent, a company can overcome any business challenge.

“When word gets out that people who work for you succeed not only at your organization but outside it, the world will start beating a path to your door.”

-Sydney Finkelstein

Sounds like solid advice to start your New Year off!

And if you want to kick off 2016 strong, why not sign up to receive a dose of inspiration, delivered fresh each week to your inbox? It’s free and you can get instant access right here.

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It’s a New Year – and a perfect time to strategize and set new goals for yourself and your business.

Start the year out with a positive mental attitude, an “I can do it” mindset. Categorize your priorities, put one foot in front of the other, and keep moving forward. With a few helpful hints, you can learn how to spend your time more efficiently.

“Time is the most valuable coin in your life. You and you alone will determine how that coin will be spent. Be careful that you do not let other people spend it for you.”
-Carl Sandburg

Clock Time Versus Real Time

Every wonder why time flies by so quickly sometimes…but drags by at other times?

In Entrepreneur, Joe Mathew, Don Debolt and Deb Percival explain this phenomena: clock time and real time.

Clock time is easy. 60 seconds in a minute, 24 hours in a day.

Real time, however, is relative, the authors note. “Time flies or drags depending on what you’re doing.” An appointment with the dentist can feel like it took 8 hours, yet your kids seem to grow up overnight.

Many time management programs are aimed at managing clock time, not real time – which is the world we’re in and where time seems too often to fly right on by. “The good news is that real time is mental. It exists between your ears. You create it. Anything you create, you can manage. It’s time to remove any self-sabotage or self-limitation you have around “not having enough time,” or today not being “the right time” to start a business or manage your current business properly,” the authors share.

According to the authors, there are only 3 ways you spend time in your business: thoughts, conversations and actions. And it’s up to you to decide on how much time to spend on each of those, paving the way for success. The choice is yours, so try a couple of the tips below to become the master of your time…

Tips to Master Your Time

Tips to help you take back control of your time include:

1. Monitor all thoughts, conversations and activities for a week to help you understand how you are spending your time.
2. Take the first half hour of each day planning your day.
3. Practice not answering the phone or answering emails. Disconnect. Block out what’s distracting you.
4. Put up a “Do not disturb” sign when needed.
5. Don’t be afraid to tell others that you need some “me time” – time set aside just for you, whether it’s to tackle a project or just relax.
6. Understand that sometimes, interruptions do happen. Try not to beat yourself up over an unforeseen interruption or become angry at it (which would actually waste your time). Simply move on…

While the authors agree that interruptions cannot be eliminated, you can determine how much time you’ll allow for them – and that frees you up to move on to productive tasks.

Is It Urgent – or Is It Important?

As humans, we are so easily distracted. Observe people at a party: everyone is engaged in conversation, but the moment their cell phone sounds, they’re instantly distracted – and drift away from the person standing in front of them to text on a keypad.

Oliver Emberton writes that in life we experience events that are important – and things that are most urgent – in constant competition. “The secret to mastering your time is to systematically focus on importance and suppress urgency,” writes Emberton.

People automatically focus on what needs an instant response – like a cell phone – but oftentimes postpone tasks that are important to them, like gathering data for a business proposal or doing a daily workout. Emberton suggests treating your priorities like a flight you have to catch: set your priorities in ahead of time and don’t allow anything to stop you from making your flight!

How many times have you noticed yourself instantly checking your phone when it rings or immediately responding to an email? Prioritize!

Emberton offers up a handful of other tips to manage your time effectively so that you can be the boss of your time. By following a few simple strategies and being attentive to what is important or urgent in your life, you can achieve what you set out to do!

“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.”

-Michael Altshuler

Start 2016 off strong with a dose of inspiration, delivered fresh each week to your inbox! It’s free and you can get instant access right here.

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Ahh…the New Year brings great anticipation…a feeling that this year will be the year when you’ll accomplish the goals you’ve set for yourself.

But a nagging reality tugs at you…you had some of those same goals last year. And as you flip the calendar page to the new year, doubt begins to cloud your mind. Can I really achieve my goals?

Yes, you CAN!

Setting Goals: A Starting Point for Success

A recent article in Psychology Today highlights an important aspect of goal setting: It makes people feel good about themselves. Achieving a goal produces dopamine, a neurotransmitter that makes you feel good. And Dopamine also activates neurons that makes you eager to pursue new challenges. A truly natural win-win situation!

Goals provide a roadmap for us, a direction for us as we journey through life. They enhance productivity and increase self-esteem. But sometimes, just setting a goal isn’t enough. We need the motivation to carry forward. We’ve all experienced the excitement of setting a specific goal for ourselves, only to be intimidated by it, afraid to take that first step, afraid of failure.

But there are ways to take that first step and keep your momentum going, even if the going gets tough!

Tips for Achieving Your Goals

Most studies agree that writing down goals is an effective motivator. Molly Cain in Forbes takes it a step further – she suggests looking at it. “A goal that you can actually see is massively more powerful than a goal you write down on a checklist,” writes Cain. She suggests a vision board. As an example, if you want to lose weight, cut out a picture of a realistic model whose weight you’d like to achieve. If you’d like a dream vacation, cut out photos of your exotic destination and paste them on your board.

Cain has other suggestions on how to achieve your goals. Among them are:

1. Tell people about it. It makes you accountable. When you stumble along the way, there’s someone who has been there and can help you get back on track.
2. Break your goal up. A big goal can be intimidating, so break it down into smaller, more manageable parts. (And don’t forget to reward yourself for achieving each step you achieve along the way!)
3. Set a date on your calendar. Marking important dates on your calendar is a great way to encourage you to check in and see how you’re doing.

The Importance of Goal Setting

Ashley Feinstein writes in Forbes that a recent study by Gail Matthews at Dominican University revealed that people who wrote down their goals accomplished significantly more than those who did not write them down. Similarly, an article by Nancy Anderson detailed Dr. Gail Matthew’s results: Three key elements combined to achieve successful goal setting are: accountability, commitment and writing down one’s goals. Dr. Matthews randomly assigned participants to five groups:

• Group 1 – analyzed their goals and resources to accomplish them
• Group 2 – wrote down their goals
• Group 3 – defined commitments after writing their goals
• Group 4 – did all of the above – then told friends
• Group 5 – did all of the above and sent weekly reports to friends

Not surprisingly, at the end of the study, Dr. Matthews found Group 5 scored the highest in achieving their goals- an average of 76% in the group completed their goals compared to just 43% in Group 1. So, don’t forget to involve your friends this year!

Let 2016 Be Your Year

Start by defining your goal. Try out some of the suggestions noted above – write your goal down, picture it, imagine it, plan it, share it…and go for it!

Remember, what you get by reaching your destination isn’t nearly as important as what you become by reaching your goals – what you will become is the winner you were born to be!
Zig Ziglar

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“Creative leaders must be more than big personalities if they hope to lead successful organizations. They must be deeply in tune with human behavior, and, most critically, understand who they are and what motivates them to success and what precipitates their failures.”

–Doug Guthrie, Forbes.com

You can use all the buzzwords and industry jargon you want – but if you’re not ready to make real change yourself, you’ll never lead change in your organization. Try the tips below to enhance your leadership abilities – and to create an atmosphere of unity in your organization.

I. The Power of the Apology

In an article aptly titled “Courageous Leaders Don’t Make Excuses…They Apologize”, Forbes.com contributor Erika Andersen explains the tremendous impact an apology can have.

Think about it – who do you have the most respect for? The person who admits she was wrong, or the person who continually makes excuses, refusing to fully admit any fault?

Admitting you were wrong or at fault is never easy – it takes a lot of courage. Courage is part of the foundation of successful leadership, so why is it so hard to simply utter an apology? In short – it just is – apologizing can make you feel awkward and uncomfortable.

Yet, Andersen asserts, “Followers look to see whether a leader is courageous before they’ll fully accept that person’s leadership. If they see courage (and taking full responsibility for actions and admitting and apologizing for mistakes are two of the five key indicators of courage), it feels safe to ‘sign up.’”

Leadership tip: Before you make a big apology, consider writing down what you’ll say so you’re prepared. Hint – don’t tarnish an otherwise sincere apology by trying to slip in an excuse. Just apologize.

Do: I’m sorry we missed the deadline.

Don’t: I’m sorry we missed the deadline, but we’ve been swamped with a slew of unexpected work requests lately.

II. The Missing Link to Progress: Sincerity

Empathy and trust, explains author Scott Pickard, are two concepts at the very foundation of all successful relationships. “If either is missing, the relationship either fails to progress, or ends completely,” he writes.

If there is a key to expressing empathy effectively, it’s sincerity. When you fail to convince someone that you are coming from a place of authenticity, you’ll never establish the healthy level of trust critical to a supportive culture.

As a leader, it’s your responsibility to encourage a safe environment where others can feel free to discuss topics (yes, even the troublesome ones) without undue threat of judgement or harsh criticism.

Leadership tip: Build a culture of trust and support by actively engaging with others. Remember the little details someone shared with you to show you’re sincere.

Do: Hi, Jane. How’s your daughter doing in lacrosse?

Don’t: Hi, Jane. What’s happening?

III. Have Want To: The Ideal Environment

One organization tops the list of “great places to work” year after year. Another struggles to retain its employees for any length of time. Is it about pay? In short, no.

Think about when you feel most motivated – when you have to do something, or when you actually want to do it? I thought so.

Organizations with a “have to” work environment usually have employees who complete the bare minimum and little more. In a “want to” work environment, in contrast, employees are engaged and actually appreciative of the opportunities they have to do more than what’s required.

Dale Carnegie Training looked at the rational and emotional factors that impact engagement in an organization. They found that “The research identified senior leadership practices and behaviors as a critical area of focus. From the quality of the people they hire, the resources and training they give them, the level of communication with employees, to the way employees are compensated, the climate of the working environment is a reflection of senior management.”

Leadership tip: No matter what size your organization is, encourage employees to voice their ideas and opinions through open, honest communication.

Do: We’d love to hear what ideas you have to tackle this issue.

Don’t: Well, this is the way it’s always been done…

As you go forward with your work day, think about this statement by Lao Tzu: “To lead people, walk behind them.”

Leaders, do you want a fresh dose of motivation to inspire and challenge you every week? Sign up here to access my Weekly Bold Move. Best of all, it’s completely free!

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It’s hard to believe we’re on the cusp of a new year already! To help you ring in 2016 with confidence and ease, we selected five of our most popular posts from 2015. Just click the links below to read the full post. Be inspired!

Are You Selling Yourself Short? Here’s What to Do.

Who would you name as the #1 saboteur of your success? So often we blame external circumstances – everything from bad bosses and unsympathetic spouses to our kids and even the weather. But as difficult as this may sound, you might be sabotaging your success the most, more than anything or anyone else!

Too often we focus on everything that is wrong or imperfect, completely overlooking our own natural talents and abilities. If you find yourself selling yourself short, this post will give you three creative ways to get back on the right track again.

Want to Really Succeed? Surround Yourself with the Best People.

You want to jump on the fast track to success, right? Of course you do! Well, one of the best ways to do just that is to surround yourself with a supportive “team” of positive people who will support and motivate you – and perhaps most important, hold you accountable.

We all deserve to be surrounded by a supportive group of people who want to see us succeed. In this post, I talk about evaluating who’s on your team, how to ditch the negative naysayers, and easy strategies you can use to build your network.

5 Leadership Qualities Every Entrepreneur Needs

Leader. What do you think of when you hear that word? If you’re like most people, prominent politicians or successful C-levels execs come to mind. Yet, we’re surrounded by leaders even when we don’t realize it. In the boardroom and in politics, on the home front and in schools, and in small businesses worldwide, leaders are all around us.

In this post, I outline the top 5 leadership qualities every entrepreneur needs to succeed. Interestingly, these same 5 qualities apply to leaders everywhere – no matter if you’re a seasoned leader at a large company or you’ve just been promoted to a leadership position.

How to Achieve Work/Life Balance

When you’re struggling to juggle multiple roles, life can become overwhelming pretty fast. I know. It’s easy to let guilt creep in when you come home from the office and wonder if you’re spending enough time with your family.

Trying to balance work and home is a challenge that men and women worldwide face every day. So, as a new year dawns, why not start it off with some easy tips to (finally!) find and maintain a work/life balance?

Want to Achieve Your Goals, Really? Here’s How to Start.

It’s that time of year again when everyone starts talking about all the goals they’re going to accomplish in the new year. You might even be thinking, “Ugh, enough already!”

At some point, you’ve probably pondered why you can’t seem to achieve some of your biggest goals. Maybe they seem out of reach, maybe you feel like it just doesn’t ever work out, or maybe you don’t even know where to start.

Success IS within your reach, no matter what your situation is. This post is designed to give you fun facts and quick tips that will help you get started on a clear path to achieving your goals in 2016 and beyond…

Start 2016 off right with a quick burst of fresh inspiration every week! Sign up for my weekly Bold Move – just click here to get instant, free access.

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