The first two rules of leadership

1. The first two rules of Leadership
David Cottrell

2. 88 % of people leaving an
organization in the USA don’t do
so for money.

3. No one sits across you in an
interview and says that I am
joining you for a higher salary
even if that is true.

4. People quit because they are
exhausted. They are exhausted
from implementing bad decisions.

5. They quit because the leader’s ego
is preventing the development of
an open culture.

6. Long term effective leaders are
competent, passionate,
trustworthy, creative and humane.

7. The people on your team want to
win and they want to be led by a
winner.

8. The most valuable asset in an
organization is having the right
people, and this means hiring
right.

9. The major reason for stupid hiring
is lack of preparation.

10. Many companies believe that one
great hire is equal to three good
hires, so always hire great.

11. Most people see their annual
performance the way they want to
see it.

12. Top performers were typically
more critical of their own
performance while lower level
performers always thought they
were far better.

13. The fact is that all your employees
and direct reports need coaching,
whether they accept it or not.

14. The concept of coaching is to bring
a person from where they are to
where thy want to be.

15. Most teams are composed of
three types of people – super
stars, sometimes stars, and
sleeping stars.

16. Super stars are typically 15 to 20 %
of your team and they have big
egos and need attention.

17. Never micromanage the
superstars, give them the freedom
to get the job done.

18. The second group- sometimes
stars, they could be future stars.
Sometimes they exceed your
expectations and on other days ,
they fall short.

19. Be candid with the sometimes
stars, specifically explain what
they need to do to become a
superstar.

20. Sleeping stars are people who are
doing as little as they can and
getting away with it.

21. Sleeping stars consistently fail to
carry their load of the task.

22. Sleeping stars also stop others
from doing their jobs.

23. Sleeping stars is a group that has
to be managed or dealt with if you
want the company to do well

24. In survey after survey, inconsistent
and confusing internal
communication is identified as a
big frustration at work

25. Simplicity liberates your team

26. Contradictions are the enemy of
synchronization, effective
organizations synchronize.

27. In order to improve your
concentration at work, you have
to be clear about your priorities.

28. Procrastination will cost you a lot
of time, energy and frustration.

29. Every leader must facilitate
meetings, meetings must have
meaning.

30. “The two biggest problems in
America are – making ends meet
and making meetings end” Robert
Orben.

31. Your concentration is your
responsibility, no one else can
accept that responsibility for you

32. People recognise integrity when
they see it, but it is tough to
describe.

33. Cornerstones of Integrity
• Pursue truth
• Stand up for what you believe
• Live what you teach
• Always ask – what’s the right thing to do?

34. Leadership involves decisiveness-
understanding your goals and
priorities well so that you can
make decisions quickly

35. Confident leadership requires that
you continually look for the best
in yourself.

36. The joy of leadership is in the gift
of knowledge that you give, not in
what you receive in return.

37. The average person has great
intentions of making a difference.
Intentions do not accomplish
anything. The people who find
success make the conscious
decision to step out and make a
difference.